On November 5, 2022, the Parallel Session on Economic and Trade Cooperation for Global Food Security and Rural Revitalization was held at the 5th Hongqiao International Economic Forum (Hongqiao Forum) in Shanghai. The parallel session was hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and organized by the China International Import Expo Bureau, the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Shanghai), and the Agricultural Trade Promotion Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The parallel session focused on the new situation and changes in global agricultural and rural development, bringing together guests from the political, business and academic communities to offer advice and suggestions to strengthen global agricultural economic and trade cooperation, join hands to address risks and challenges, and promote global food security and rural revitalization. It was attended by some ambassadors in China, representatives from national ministries, local agricultural and rural affairs departments, research institutes, financial institutions, international business associations, agriculture-related multinational enterprises and bases for high-quality development of international agricultural trade. The forum featured three sessions: Keynote speeches, practical exploration, and panel discussions.

Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, pointed out in his speech that the Chinese government attaches great importance to food security and rural revitalization, and that food production capacity has reached a new level, stabilizing at over 650 million tonnes for seven consecutive years, with the rice bowls of more than 1.4 billion people firmly secured in its own hands. At present, the world is entering a new period of turbulent change, and global food security and rural development are facing many new problems. China has always been committed to expanding agricultural trade and deepening investment cooperation, pursuing multilateralism and humanitarianism, promoting food security and rural revitalization with a high level of economic and trade cooperation, and sharing development opportunities with the world.

In her speech, Vice Minister of Commerce Guo Tingting said that China has always made food security a top priority and is an important contributor to global food security, an active promoter of global food cooperation, and a firm defender of global food security governance. The global food chain supply chain is facing unprecedented challenges, and maintaining global food security requires the international community to work together to address them. With the joint efforts of all players, the goal of eradicating hunger can certainly be achieved.

Ireland’s Ambassador to China, Ann Derwin, said that Ireland has deep memories of the suffering and hunger it has experienced, and that it attaches great importance to the issue of food security in both domestic diplomacy and overseas development assistance, and has made great efforts at the international level to address the issue of food security.

Juan Josnt assllo, Secretary of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Republic of Argentina, said that Argentina is willing to continue to deepen economic and trade cooperation with China, advance the construction of a fairer, more reasonable and transparent international trade system under the framework of multilateralism, safeguard the common interests of the majority of developing countries, and promote global food security and rural revitalization.

Luan Richeng, President of COFCO, said that COFCO would firmly uphold the multilateral trading system based on WTO rules, continue to deepen international cooperation on food security, strengthen innovative exploration in areas such as agricultural trade and investment, agricultural emission reduction, digital agriculture and agricultural biodiversity conservation, and contribute to the building of a strong, green and healthy global agricultural development landscape.

Qi Bin, Deputy General Manager of China Investment Corporation (CIC), said that CIC will continue to play its role as a good platform, accumulate advanced ideas and experience in relevant international markets based on the shortcomings and needs of China’s development of agriculture, rural areas, and rural residents, and insist on serving agricultural and rural modernization and rural revitalization with overseas investment and cross-border cooperation.

Zhang Xuguang, Vice President of the Agricultural Bank of China, said that the Bank would actively practice global development initiatives and work together to promote balanced, synergistic, and inclusive global development. We will implement global food security and rural development goals, strengthen support and assistance to vulnerable regions and disadvantaged groups, and forge a high-quality global agricultural economic and trade partnership together.

In the practical exploration, local representatives were invited to share their distinctive experiences and vivid practices in promoting the open development of agriculture and rural areas with economic and trade cooperation and helping to revitalize the countryside.

Wang Ziyun, Vice Chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, shared his experience of the National Pilot Zone for the Open Development of the Grape and Wine Industry, saying that China is one of the countries with the largest consumption potential and fastest growth in the world wine market. The eastern foot of Helan Mountain in Ningxia is one of the top ten wine-producing regions in China, with an area of 583,000 mu for wine grape cultivation and an annual production of 136 million bottles of wine. Ningxia has given full play to the role of two “national platforms”, the China Comprehensive Pilot Zone for the Open Development of the Grape and Wine Industry and the China International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo, and is striving to lead the rapid development of Chinese wine in a step-by-step process of opening up to the outside world.

Huang Siguang, Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Yangling National Agricultural High-Tech Industry Demonstration Zone, said that Yangling Demonstration Zone is China’s first national agricultural high-tech zone, a “national team” for the development of modern agriculture and has the only agricultural free trade zone and comprehensive free trade zone in China. It has become an important window for opening up China’s agriculture to the outside world. It has become an essential window for opening up China’s agriculture to the outside world. Yangling will play the role of a platform for opening up to the outside world, take the initiative to strengthen practical cooperation in the field of agriculture with SCO countries and other countries in the world, and accelerate the construction of a new pattern of international cooperation in agriculture “rooted in China, radiating the SCO region, linking the surrounding areas and facing the world”.

The panel discussion focused on the status quo of global food security and rural revitalization, the role of economic and trade cooperation in promoting global food security and rural revitalization, and how economic and trade cooperation can better promote global food security and rural revitalization. Du Zhixiong, Party Secretary of the CPC Committee and Deputy Director of the Rural Development Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Qu Weixi, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Commerce, Fan Shenggen, Chair Professor of China Agricultural University and Dean of the Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy, Colm Rafferty, Chairman of AmCham China, Jerry Liu, President of Cargill China and Chris Tou, General Manager of Bunge China participated in the discussion.

Panel Discussion

Du Zhixiong believes that moderate food imports are also the right thing to do to “strengthen the foundation of food security on all fronts”, which provides a broader space for expanding international cooperation in agriculture.

Qu Weixi believes that it is necessary to promote innovation and upgrading of agricultural trade, actively promote the “introduction” and “globalization” of agriculture, and steadily expand the opening of the system with the pilot free trade zone (port) as the leading force, so that China can grow from a large agricultural country to a strong agricultural country as soon as possible.

Fan Shenggen said the focus should be on global trade, reducing restrictions on food trade and strengthening global governance mechanisms and institutional coordination capacity for food security.

Colm Rafferty said AmCham China hopes to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese government and jointly explore how US investment, technology, and practical experience can better support China’s goal of rural revitalization and common prosperity.

Jerry Liu proposed to invest RMB 50 million in the next five years to practice corporate responsibility, including actions to promote sustainable development and enhance farmers’ income to help revitalize the countryside. Going forward, Cargill will build on its global supply chain and work with its Chinese partners to help meet China’s demand for food, help connect China’s agriculture and food industry to the global system, and contribute to the revitalization of China’s countryside.

Chris Tou said that the trade and processing of bulk agricultural products is a globalized industry, and an open and cooperative environment with diversified and stable economic and trade relations is crucial. Bunge is pleased to see that China will also be more proactive in promoting opening up to the outside world, and the revitalization of the countryside will drive the agricultural and rural areas to further unlock huge consumption potential, all of which bring vast market space and opportunities for foreign investors. Bunge will make good use of these policy dividends and continue to expand its business in China.