China has told participants at the Copenhagen climate talks that it sees no possibility of reaching an operational accord before the talks end this week.
Reuters reports a Chinese official involved in the negotiations says China had suggested instead issuing a short political declaration of some sort.
The official, who asked not to be identified, did not make it clear what any declaration would say.
As world leaders assemble for the climax of the summit, differences persist over who should cut emissions, how deep the cuts should be, and how much funding should be provided to poor countries, the BBC reports.
Dozens of world leaders are joining the final day of talks in the hope of signing a new climate pact at the end of the week.
Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao says his attendance shows the importance China attaches to a deal.
"I hope that the summit will yield a fair, reasonable, balanced and achievable result through the joint efforts of all parties," Mr Wen said in an official statement.
Speakers lined up to address the penultimate day of the summit include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
US President Barack Obama is due to attend the final day of the meeting , when 120 world leaders try to lay out a strategy to deal with climate change after the end of 2012, when obligations run out under the landmark Kyoto Protocol.
