China ‘must ensure its own food security’, but soybean imports to continue
- The country must fill its rice bowl with more of its own food, researchers say in a national white paper
- Such a move would disappoint overseas producers hoping that Beijing will increase imports to meet the country’s demand
China must rely on its own resources to ensure its food supplies, officials said in a white paper released on Monday, dimming hopes among overseas producers that Beijing will expand imports to meet domestic demand.
Unveiling the document in Beijing, Zhang Wufeng, head of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, said China’s food security was “the best in history”, citing the country’s high levels of food production and reserves, and its stable food prices.
“We must hold the rice bowl firmly in our hands, and fill it with even more Chinese food,” said Zhang, who is also a member of the National Development and Reform Commission’s (NDRC) Communist Party leadership group.
He said grain output was expected to reach about 780 million tonnes in 2019 – for the fifth year in a row.
But the white paper said that grain output and demand would remain “closely aligned”, meaning there would be little excess production.