China Actively Contributes to Maintain Global Food Security
中国力量为维护全球粮食安全作出积极贡献
Chinese ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran Chang Hua
驻伊朗大使常华
8 June 2022
2022年6月8日
Currently there is a severe shortage in the global food supply. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has virtually cut off Russia and Ukraine, both major grains exporters, from the global grains trade system. The sanctions imposed by the US and other western countries on Russia have had a grave impact on its export of grains and fertilizers, which has made the situation even worse. As a responsible major country, China has not only successfully guaranteed the food supply of more than 1.4 billion people but also contributed Chinese solutions, Chinese wisdom and Chinese strength to safeguarding global food security with practical actions. However, some Western countries have taken advantage of the food shortage panic in the international community, especially some suffered most countries, to smear China’s “hoarding grains” in the international market. The sinister intention of politicizing and weaponizing the “food crisis” is evident enough.
当前全球粮食供应面临极端紧张的局面。俄乌冲突使作为全球重要粮食出口国的俄罗斯、乌克兰几乎退出全球粮贸体系，而美西方对俄制裁导致俄罗斯粮食和化肥出口受到严重影响，更使局面雪上加霜。中国作为负责任大国，不仅成功保障14亿多人口粮食供给，还以实际行动为维护全球粮食安全贡献中国方案、中国智慧、中国力量。而个别西方国家却利用国际社会特别是部分国家的缺粮恐慌，大肆抹黑中国在国际市场“囤积粮食”，将“粮食危机”政治化、武器化的险恶居心昭然若揭。
Of all things, food, as the basic necessity of the people, matters most. The Chinese government always attaches great importance to the issue of food security. We follow the vision on food security that is centered on “self-sufficiency in grain supply and absolute security of staple grains”. The year 2021 marks the seventh consecutive year that China secured an annual grain production of over 1.3 trillion jin (650 million tonnes). China stands as the world’s largest grain producer and third-largest grain exporter. We have the capability and confidence of being self-reliant in securing our own food supply. It is unnecessary for China to “hoard grains” in the international market.
悠悠万事，吃饭为大。中国政府始终高度重视粮食安全问题，我们奉行的是“谷物基本自给、口粮绝对安全”的粮食安全观。到2021年，中国粮食产量已经连续7年稳定在1.3万亿斤以上，是世界第一大粮食生产国和第三大粮食出口国。中国完全有条件、有能力、有信心依靠自身力量把中国人的饭碗牢牢地端在自己手上，没有必要去国际市场“囤积粮食”。
China has managed to feed one-fifth of the world’s population with a quarter of the world’s total food production on less than 9% of the world’s arable land. This achievement is in itself a significant contribution to world food security. In the meantime, China has shown its responsibility as a major country and made positive contributions to ensuring global food security. Under the Global Development Initiative put forward by China, food security is one of the eight priority areas of cooperation. We will mobilize efforts from all parties across the globe to draw on each other’s advantages, and pool the strength for achieving all sustainable development goals including food security. China has always been an important strategic partner of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in South-South cooperation. In recent years, we have donated a total of $130 million to the FAO’s South-South Cooperation Programme. China has sent a large number of experts and technical personnel to countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and to Pacific Island Countries. China has donated the largest amount of funds, sent the most experts, and undertaken the most projects under the framework of the FAO’s South-South Cooperation Programme among all developing countries. Since the start of COVID-19, China has responded actively to the appeal of the UN and other international organizations by providing emergency food assistance to many countries. China’s contribution to stabilizing world food production and supply has been widely praised by the international community.
中国用不足全球9%的土地实现了约占世界四分之一的粮食产量，养活了世界五分之一的人口，本身就是对世界粮食安全的重大贡献。同时，中国展现大国担当，为保障全球粮食安全作出积极贡献。中方提出的全球发展倡议，把粮食安全作为八大重点合作领域之一，将在全球范围内动员各方力量，推动优势互补，为实现包括粮食安全在内的所有可持续发展目标汇聚最大合力。中国一直是联合国粮农组织南南合作的重要战略伙伴。近年来，我们累计向粮农组织南南合作基金捐款1.3亿美元，向亚洲、非洲、拉美和加勒比地区、太平洋岛国派遣了大批专家和技术人员，是联合国粮农组织南南合作框架下资金援助最多、派出专家最多、开展项目最多的发展中国家。新冠肺炎疫情发生以来，中方积极响应联合国等国际组织倡议，向一些国家提供紧急粮食援助。中方为稳定世界粮食生产和供应作出的积极贡献，受到国际社会普遍赞赏。
Besides, China actively advocates reducing food loss and food waste. If the world can reduce food loss by one percentage point, we can save up to 28 million tonnes of food that is enough to feed 70 million people. President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of food conservation on many occasions. In 2021, China held the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste, which received a warm response from the international community including G20 member states.
此外，中方还积极倡导粮食减损和减少浪费。世界粮食每减损一个百分点，就相当于减少2800万吨损失，可多养活7000万人。习近平主席多次强调要加强粮食节约工作。2021年中国举办了国际粮食减损大会，得到包括二十国集团成员在内的国际社会积极响应。
The future of all countries is closely linked, the more difficult the situation is, the more important it is for us to enhance solidarity. We should choose dialogue over confrontation, tear down walls rather than erect walls, pursue integration instead of decoupling, opt for inclusiveness, not exclusion, and guide reforms of the global governance system with the principle of fairness and justice. At a time when the sharp rise in food prices further accentuates the imbalance between supply and demand and brings severe impact to developing countries, we call on all countries to shoulder common responsibility. We should increase food supply by stabilizing production, reducing food loss and ensuring a smooth supply channel, and at the same time reduce food waste and make earnest efforts in food conservation in order to safeguard global food security.
各国前途命运紧密相连，越是在困难面前，越应同舟共济，要坚持对话而不对抗、拆墙而不筑墙、融合而不脱钩、包容而不排他，以公平正义为理念引领全球治理体系变革。在当前粮食价格大幅上涨、供需不平衡问题进一步突出、广大发展中国家遭受剧烈冲击的形势下，我们呼吁各国肩负共同责任，在粮食供给方面做好“加法”，确保生产稳定、颗粒归仓、供应畅通；在粮食损失与浪费方面做好“减法”，踏踏实实做好食物节约，切实维护全球粮食安全。