SCIO briefing on food security in China
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E-mail China.org.cn, October 16, 2019
Hu Kaihong:
Now it's time for the Q&A session. Please identify the news organization you represent before asking your question.
China Central Television:
China is a country with a huge population. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized multiple times the importance of food security, saying that "the rice bowls of the Chinese people must be held firmly in our own hands." At the same time, we have noticed that China also imports grain from other countries. My question is how do you assess China's food security situation? Can we ensure that food is no longer truly a problem for the Chinese people? Thank you.
Zhang Wufeng:
Thanks for your question. Your question is also of wide concern. Over 20 years ago, there were some doubts from foreign countries on whether China could feed its own population. The Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese government and the Chinese people have proved that they can solve the food problem on their own.
Ensuring food security is the prerequisite for a peaceful and stable society. For thousands of years, meeting the food demand has been the Chinese people's constant pursuit. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the CPC has been sticking to the principle of "putting the people first", and it views food security as the most important mission. Especially since the 18th CPC National Congress, based on international situation, national conditions and food availability, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has formed a food security strategy featuring self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, guaranteed food production capacity, moderate imports, and technological support. It also put forward a new grain security outlook that seeks to ensure basic self-sufficiency of grain and absolute security of staple food. Through a series of effective policy measures, the country has made many achievements. China has fed almost 20% of the world's population with just 9% of the world's arable land and 6% of fresh water. It has achieved the historic transformation from hunger to subsistence, and from a poor to a moderately well-off nation. It has not only ensured self-sufficiency in its own food supply but has also contributed much to global food security.
We can conclude that China's food security situation is now the best it has had in history. This can be explained from the following three aspects:
First, high grain output and sufficient food reserves. Since 2004, China has achieved bumper grain harvests in 15 consecutive years. This year's grain output is expected to be over 1.3 trillion jin, or 650 billion kilograms, for the fifth year in a row. China ensures absolute security of its staple grains, and supplies over 95% of its own needs for grain. It also has sufficient food reserves, which lays a solid foundation for national food security.
Second, stable market supply and steady grain prices. Over the years, China's grain supply has been sufficient, which has met people's daily consumption needs and guaranteed food security in times of natural disaster and public emergencies. In recent years, despite volatility in the international market, China's grain prices have remained generally stable with slight fluctuations within an acceptable range. This has played an important role in promoting stable and healthy economic development and social stability.
Third, full guarantee and strong adjustment measures. With the stable increase in grain production and bumper harvests, China also constantly improves its grain logistics system, the food market system, the grain storage system as well as the emergency supply system. The system of making provincial governors responsible for food security clearly lays out the duties of both the central government and the local governments and helps form synergies among all parties. By adopting more flexible macro adjustment measures and diverse policy tools, China has also promoted the reform in its grain collection and storage system, adjusted government food reserves, facilitated the grain industry economy, and made rational use of both domestic and international markets and resources. Through a series of targeted and effective measures, China has adjusted and upgraded the planting structure, improved the balance between supply and demand, and increased its capacity to ensure food security.
The above three aspects indicate that China's food security situation is sound and the people's demand for food can be met. Of course, we have some imports, mainly of soybeans, to adjust the surplus and deficit in the different kinds of grains. As China is a country with a large population, its balance of food supply and demand would be tight in the medium and long term. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out repeatedly, "one would have peace in mind if he or she does not worry about the food issue." Meeting people's food demand will always be a priority in state governance. We will stick to a path of developing food security with Chinese characteristics, fully implement the national food security strategy and rural revitalization strategy, and increase grain output through the stricter protection of arable land and improved technological innovations. We will strive to build our strength in the grain production industry, secure self-sufficiency, and constantly increase domestic production. Thank you.
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