China stresses global coordination on food security

VIENTIANE -- Chinese National People's Congress delegation attached importance to global policies and actions' coordination to uphold food security at the ongoing Seventh Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting, or ASEP-7, held Thursday.

"With productivity of the human society at an unprecedented level today, we do not lack the material resources or technological means to achieve global food security. What is most important is that all countries show commitment and work actively and effectively to coordinate policies and actions in the larger interest of human survival and development," Zhang Xiaoshan, member of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China and representative to ASEP-7 said at panel discussion on economic matters Thursday.

The ASEP-7 meeting themed "Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership for Sustainable Development" kicked off Wednesday and is to conclude Thursday.

Zhang, on behalf of Chinese NPC delegation, stressed five points to achieve food security through global coordination.

First, develop a vision of advancing food security through win-win cooperation. Rather than being an isolated crisis for one country or region, food crisis is a global challenge involving the common interests of all countries and requires global solution. "What's particularly important is to raise the productivity of grain-producing countries, enhance operation on agro-technologies and boost international trade in agricultural produce," he said.

Second, adopt a development-oriented food security strategy. "Only development can bring a fundamental solution to food crisis in developing countries," Zhang said.

Third, create an international environment featuring equality and mutual benefit. "It is important to improve the current international trading environment for agricultural products, establish a fair, reasonable, sustainable and stable international trading order and give emerging markets and developing countries a bigger say," the Chinese official said.

Fourth, establish a fair and reasonable global governance structure. China supports efforts to strengthen global food security governance mechanism to make the world food production, stockpiling and distribution system more equitable, balanced and sustainable.

Fifth, achieve comprehensive and balanced agricultural development. Zhang said that food security is closely linked to climate change and energy. A fair and reasonable mechanism to address the climate change should be established under the framework of UNFCCC Climate Change Convention and Kyoto Protocol, especially upholding the common but differentiated responsibilities. "On the other hand, we should also take into account the long-term implications of bio-fuel development," said Zhang, "It is important to guide the development of the bio-fuel industry to ensure the sustainability of bio-fuel development and utilization. Energy security must not come at the expense of food security."

Zhang also introduced efforts China has made to ensure adequate food security for the 1.3 billion people.

"China is a developing country, yet we have been doing what we can to help other developing countries through South-South cooperation. China is ready to share its agricultural development experience and carry out active and deep cooperation with other countries in an all-round way," he said.

ASEP is part of partnership process between Asia and Europe and serves as a forum for inter-parliamentary contacts, exchanges and diplomacy among parliaments.

The first ASEP meeting was held in Strasbourg, France in 1996.