Xinhua News Agency
February 20, 2012
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping addresses the U.S.-China Agricultural Symposium in Iowa State during his visit to the U.S. on February 16. (Photographed by Liu Jiansheng, Xinhua News Agency)
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping attended the U.S.-China Agricultural Symposium in Iowa State during his visit to the U.S. on February 16.
In his speech, Vice President Xi extended his warm congratulations to the opening of U.S.-China Agricultural Symposium
and sincere welcome to all participants from both countries.
He said that food is what matters to the people. Agriculture is the fundamental industry for the existence and development of all mankind. International agricultural and food cooperation from a strategic level would have a profound and long term effect on promoting mutually-beneficial and win-win development of all countries.
Agriculture is a key area in developing Sino-U.S. relations and deepening cooperation. Over many years, cooperation and exchanges between China and the United States in agriculture have maintained a good momentum. There are three major attributing factors according to the Vice President.
First, both China and the U.S. are large agricultural countries. Both nations share vital interests and have great potential for agricultural cooperation. Second, in the past decade, China faithfully implemented its WTO commitment and reduced its tariffs on agricultural products to one quarter of the world's average. Last but not the least, thanks to the commitment of both governments, many mechanisms including China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue, Sino-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, and Sino-US Joint Committee on Cooperation in Agriculture have been established to push ahead effective dialogues and pragmatic cooperation between China and the U.S.
According to Vice President Xi, China has always attached great importance to national food security. Developing agriculture, bringing benefits to the countryside, increasing farmers’ income, and feeding a population of 1.3 billion are at the top of the national agenda.
At present, China has rich food stocks, sufficient market supply, and has set up state reserves of grains and edible oils at many places, which stabilizes the food price at home and contributes to global food security.
China also actively engages in international agricultural exchange and cooperation. Under South-South cooperation framework, China has provided agricultural assistance within its capacities to other developing countries, playing a positive role in improving agricultural productivity and food production of developing nations as well as achieving MDGs.
Vice President Xi noted that under the present circumstances, elevating mutually-beneficial cooperation between China and the U.S. in agriculture to a new high would ensure stable economic development of both nations and speed up global economic recovery. Vice President mentioned three ways for both countries to deepen agricultural cooperation at this new historic moment.
First, enhance cooperation in science and technology to improve agricultural productivity and promote sustainable agriculture. Second, strengthen economic and trade relations to improve resource allocation efficiency and create a fair and reasonable market environment. Third, strengthen communication and coordination to deepen coordination and cooperation of the two countries on world hot agricultural issues, and thus join hands in guaranteeing world food security.
Vice President believes that the well-based Sino-U.S. agricultural cooperation will achieve greater success and embrace a brighter future.
The symposium was co-hosted by Chinese Agriculture Minister Han Changfu and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Minister Han, Secretary Vilsack, U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, and Iowa State Governor Terry E.Branstad delivered opening remarks.
The U.S. side said in the speech that Vice President Xi spared time out of a tight schedule in the U.S. to attend the symposium, which reflects commitment of Chinese leaders to strengthening Sino-U.S. agricultural cooperation. China and the U.S. are largest agricultural countries around the world. In recent years, close agricultural cooperation and fast growing agricultural trade have brought benefits to people from both nations.
The two sides should take into account common interests and shared visions, enhance agricultural cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit, and work together to contribute to tackling food challenges and fighting back against hunger. It is hoped that the two greatest economies will be able to help create a better world.
More than 150 agricultural officials and experts from China and the U.S. as well as Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attended the symposium.