"The advisory opinion reflects the long-term positions and propositions of the vast majority of developing countries, including China, and has positive significance for maintaining and promoting international climate cooperation," said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun.

The International Court of Justice said in a historic statement on Wednesday that climate change was an "urgent and existential threat" and countries had a legal duty to prevent harm from their planet-warming pollution.

Countries breaching their climate obligations were committing a "wrongful act", the court said in its advisory opinion, which is not legally binding but carries political and legal weight.

Guo said China "has always been a firm supporter and important contributor to global green development".

"China is currently actively and steadily implementing dual carbon targets, and will complete the world's highest reduction in carbon emissions, using the shortest time in world history to achieve peak carbon and carbon neutrality," he told journalists on Thursday.

"No matter how the international situation changes, China will not give up its active work to address climate change, efforts to promote international cooperation will not lessen, and the practice of promoting the building of mankind's community for a shared future will not stop."