As population continues to grow and the process of urbanization and industrialization moves rapidly forward, China's overall demand for grain has increased steadily. Yet food consumption, which has decreased slightly in per-capita terms, is making up a smaller share of overall grain consumption. At present, aside from the soy bean which needs imports to fill the supply gap, China enjoys a basic balance in the production and demand of the three staple grains of wheat, rice and corn. China has an adequate grain reserve and sufficient market supply. The bumper harvests in years running have further increased China's grain reserve. Well-structured reserves of grain and processed food grain and cooking oil have been set up across the country with continued improvement in their management. This has not only effectively stabilized grain prices at home, but also significantly contributed to global food security. By actively conducting international agricultural exchanges and cooperation and providing needed agricultural assistance to relevant developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation, particularly in the area of effectively increasing the acreage of hybrid rice, China has played a positive role in enhancing agricultural production and grain producing capacity of the developing countries, thus helping achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In the world we live today, agricultural production has come under increasing strains of population, resources and the environment, and the challenge posed by climate change to agriculture and food security is looming larger with each passing day. With global economic recovery still beset by uncertainties and destabilizing factors of one kind or another, a stable and growing agricultural sector is of great importance for consolidating the gains in responding to the international financial crisis and promoting a strong, sustainable and balanced expansion of the global economy. We should cultivate a concept of cooperative security in global grain production as in many other areas. To bring the mutually beneficial China-U.S. agricultural cooperation to a new high will, under the current situation, not only serve the smooth performance of the respective domestic economies, but also facilitate a faster recovery of the world economy.

Standing on a new historic starting point, we need to do the following to deepen the agricultural exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States. First, we must step up science and technology cooperation, enhance agricultural productivity, do our best to conserve resources and protect the environment, and promote a sustainable development of agriculture. Second, we must step up trade and commerce, improve the allocation of resources, create a fair and reasonable market environment, fully tap the cooperation potential, and promote a faster development of agribusinesses. Third, we must step up communication and coordination, deepen collaboration and cooperation in addressing the hot issues facing global agricultural development, promote information and resource sharing, and work together to ensure food security around the world. This afternoon, the agricultural ministries of the two countries will sign the Plan of Strategic Cooperation in Agriculture in which the goals and priority areas of our deepening cooperation will be clearly identified. I am confident that China-U.S. cooperation in agriculture already enjoying a sound foundation will grow from strength to strength with an even broader prospect of development.

In conclusion, I wish the symposium a complete success.

Thank you.

(Source: www.fmprc.gov.cn)