Continue to deepen pragmatic cooperation and promote agriculture to a higher level -- Han Changfu's bilateral talks during the G20 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting

On June 1-4, Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu met with the ministers of agriculture of 10 countries, including Germany, France, Japan, Canada, Russia, the European Union, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Spain, as well as the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), exchange views on deepening cooperation in the field of agriculture and issues of interest to all parties.

Abstract:

To ensure food security, modern agriculture must be developed, and innovation is an important driving force for the development of modern agriculture. Han Changfu had cordial and friendly talks with German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Schmidt. The two sides spoke highly of various cooperation in the field of agriculture and actively promoted high-level cooperation in the fields of agricultural policy, ecological agriculture and personnel training. During a meeting with French Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Le Ful, Han Changfu said that Sino-French agricultural cooperation has a good foundation and suggested that the fifth meeting of the Sino-French mixed committee should be held in due course to further deepen the practical cooperation mechanism. When meeting with Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Moriyama Yu, Han Changfu hoped that the Ministry of Agriculture of the two countries would continue to improve the construction of cooperation mechanisms and support scientific research units to jointly build joint laboratories. During a meeting with Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment Isabel Tehlina, Han Changfu said that the two sides can carry out innovative cooperation in water-saving and efficient irrigation technology, agricultural insurance, animal and plant inspection and quarantine.

"Zero Hunger" is a highlight of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and agriculture plays a decisive role in achieving "Zero Hunger" and sustainable development. During the meeting with FAO Director-General Graziano, Han Changfu said that the two sides have carried out a large number of practical and effective cooperation in the fields of South-South cooperation, agricultural cultural heritage protection, Codex Alimentarius, and the Plant Protection Convention, in order to promote world food security and sustainable agricultural development. Active efforts should be made to integrate resources and connect strategies to jointly promote food security and agricultural development in China and the world. Han Changfu also held talks with Ms. Kazin, Executive Director of WFP. She praised China's great achievements in rural poverty reduction. China has embarked on a path of poverty reduction with its own characteristics and became the first developing country in the world to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The two sides agreed to further strengthen South-South cooperation, PPP cooperation, knowledge and human resources cooperation under the framework of the new memorandum of understanding on cooperation. When meeting with IFAD President Neize Wang, Han Changfu pointed out that China is willing to expand cooperation areas with all parties, increase cooperation, and jointly provide support to developing countries in targeted poverty alleviation and targeted poverty alleviation.

Strengthening investment and trade cooperation is an inexhaustible driving force for agricultural development and is in the common interests of all parties. During talks with ministers from Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, South Africa, Spain and other countries, Han Changfu said that the two sides have strong agricultural complementarity and great potential for cooperation, and important progress has been made in agricultural investment cooperation and agricultural trade. Intergovernmental coordination should be further strengthened, enterprises should be encouraged and supported to carry out mutually beneficial investment cooperation, jointly carry out agricultural trade promotion activities, create a good environment and provide convenient services; consultations among technical departments should be strengthened, and technical problems existing in trade should be solved in accordance with the relevant provisions of all parties, so as to promote the sustained and healthy development of trade. Han Changfu also invited the agricultural departments of various countries to organize entrepreneur delegations to participate in the 14th China International Agricultural Products Fair held in Kunming on November 5-8 to promote high-quality agricultural products from various countries.

The ministers of agriculture and heads of international organizations participating in the bilateral talks warmly congratulated the Chinese government on the successful hosting of the G20 meeting of ministers of agriculture, expressed high respect for China's efforts, highly appreciated China's great contribution to world food security and global agricultural development, and believed that the cooperation with China was rich in content, effective and promising, We are willing to continue to deepen friendly cooperation with China and promote agricultural investment and trade, exchange and share experience and knowledge to promote global agricultural development to a new level. The heads of FAO, WFP, and IFAD fully agreed with the relevant cooperation proposals put forward by Han Changfu, and promised to actively respond to President Xi Jinping's "One Belt, One Road" initiative and the "Five Development Concepts", and step up efforts to promote the implementation of relevant agricultural cooperation ideas with China.