China releases white paper on food security

China on Monday issued a white paper on food security, detailing the country's efforts in enhancing food security and expanding international cooperation in the area.

A Chinese farmer smiles as she harvests rice in her paddy field in Xiazhuang village, Jinshan town, Lianyungang city, east China's Jiangsu province, October 16, 2014. [File Photo: IC]

Despite a weak agricultural foundation and extreme poverty, the Communist Party of China has led an unremitting campaign of hard work over the past 70 years that has made China basically self-sufficient in food supply, said the white paper titled "Food Security in China," which was released by the State Council Information Office.

Abiding by the principle of basic food self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, China implements the strictest farmland protection system and a strategy of sustainable farmland use and innovative application of agricultural technology to increase farmland productivity.

Through supply-side structural reform and institutional innovation, China has raised grain productivity, modernized grain circulation, improved food-supply structure and achieved steady development in the grain industry.

"Looking to the future, China has the conditions, capabilities and confidence to enhance food security relying on its own efforts," said the white paper.

However, the paper noted that in the medium to long term, China's grain production and demand will remain closely aligned, which means China must not slacken its efforts to ensure food security.

Meanwhile, the world is still facing severe food security challenges, with over 800 million people suffering from hunger and food trade being disrupted by protectionism and unilateralism.

In view of these challenges, China will forge ahead along its own path and implement its national strategies for food security and rural vitalization through sustainable farmland use and agricultural technology innovation to increase farmland productivity, said the white paper.

While ensuring domestic food security, China will join the global fight against hunger. China will continue to assist other developing countries to the best of its ability within the framework of South-South cooperation and promote the sound development of the global food industry, according to the white paper.

Full Text: Food Security in China