Chinese and EU leaders are to agree a joint statement on the Paris climate agreement saying it is an imperative more important than ever. A draft of the document, seen by the BBC, stresses the highest political commitment to implement the deal.<br/><br/>It will be widely seen as a rebuff to the US, as President Trump prepares to announce today if the US is withdrawing from the accord. The joint statement will be published tomorrow after a summit in Brussels.<br/><br/>For more than a year, Chinese and EU officials have been working behind the scenes to agree a joint statement on climate change and clean energy. The document highlights the dangers posed by rising temperatures, as a national security issue and multiplying factor of social and political fragility, while pointing out that the transition to clean energy creates jobs and economic growth.<br/><br/>The EU and China consider the Paris agreement as an historic achievement further accelerating the irreversible global low greenhouse gas emission and climate resilient development.<br/><br/>Both sides said they will step up action to and forge ahead with further policies and measures to implement their national plans on cutting carbon. Significantly, both the EU and China agree that they will outline their long term low carbon strategies by 2020.