Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are a core component for post-2020 global climate agreements to achieve the 2 • C goal in addressing climate change. In the NDC, China has declared to lower carbon intensity by 60-65% from the 2005 level by 2030 and achieve the peak of CO 2 emissions around 2030. In the context of the 2 • C goal, this study assesses China's CO 2 mitigation targets in the NDC using fair ranges of emissions allowances as calculated from an effort-sharing framework based

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... n six equity principles (and cost-effectiveness). Results show that understanding the fairness of China's NDC would rely heavily on selected equity principles. If the 65% target is implemented, China's NDC would position within full ranges of emissions allowances and align with responsibility-capacity-need based on comparisons in 2030, and with responsibility-capacity-need and equal cumulative per capita emissions based on comparisons during 2011-2030. Implications of the NDC on China's long-term CO 2 mitigation targets beyond 2030 are also explored, which indicate that China's energy system would need to realize carbon neutrality by 2070s at the latest in the scenarios in this study.