China and the United States unveiled targets Wednesday to reduce greenhouse gases, aiming to inject fresh momentum into the global fight against climate change ahead of a make-or-break treaty to be finalized next year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping set a target for China's emission to peak by 2030, or earlier if possible. He also pledged to increase the share of energy that China will derive from sources other than fossil fuels.

President Barack Obama announced that the U.S. would move faster in cutting pollution, with a goal to reduce by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025, compared with 2005 levels. Earlier in his presidency, Obama set a goal to cut emissions by 17 percent by 2020.

The talk between Xi and Obama began Wednesday morning at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

Before their talks, Xi held a red-carpet ceremony to welcome Obama, who arrived in Beijing Monday to attend the 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and pay a state visit to China at Xi's invitation.

On Tuesday evening, the two heads of state held a meeting already at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing after the APEC meeting.