The U.S. and Chinese governments are scheduled to hold climate change meetings later in May, with the bilateral talks aimed at enhancing %Climate co-operation and curbing greenhouse gas emissions by industry.

U.S. diplomat John Podesta and an American delegation will meet with Chinese counterpart Liu Zhenmin in Washington, D.C. May 8 to 10, announced the White House.

The meeting comes as U.S. solar companies file new trade petitions asking the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to levy penalties on solar components from Chinese factories in four southeast Asian countries.

The meeting is also taking place amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China over issues ranging from trade and global security to technology and energy prices.

Liu has reportedly spoken with Podesta since he stepped into his role as the top U.S. climate diplomat, replacing former Secretary of State John Kerry.

However, the envoys of the world's two biggest greenhouse gas emitters have not held formal climate talks until now.

Both Kerry and Xie played pivotal roles in brokering the outcome at the United Nations Climate Summit held in Dubai last November, brokering an agreement among all countries to transition away from fossil fuels in coming years.

China and the U.S. remain the world’s two worst greenhouse gas emitters with most of the pollution coming from industrial manufacturers, the transportation sector, and agriculture.