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Speakers:

Mr. Cong Liang, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and administrator of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NFSRA)

Mr. Lu Jingbo, vice administrator of the NFSRA

Mr. Huang Wei, vice administrator of the NFSRA

Chairperson:

Ms. Shou Xiaoli, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

May 11, 2023

Shou Xiaoli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is the 15th briefing in the series "Embarking on the New Journey — A Government Perspective." Today, we have invited Mr. Cong Liang, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and administrator of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NFSRA), to brief you about safeguarding food security and ensuring food supply for the Chinese people, and to take your questions. Also joining us today are vice administrators of the NFSRA, Mr. Lu Jingbo, and Mr. Huang Wei.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Cong for a brief introduction.

Cong Liang:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning! I'm delighted to meet you here. First and foremost, on behalf of the NFSRA, I would like to thank all our friends in the media for your continued interest, attention and support for our work in food and strategic reserves. Today, we will introduce our efforts in studying and implementing the guiding principles outlined in the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), as well as our strategies for safeguarding food security and ensuring a steady food supply for the Chinese people.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made feeding over 1 billion people a top priority in governing the country. It has introduced a new concept, guaranteeing basic self-sufficiency in cereal grains and absolute grain security. A national food security strategy has been established that focuses on domestic production and ensures production capacity, moderate imports, and scientific and technological support. Relevant departments nationwide have been diligently implementing policies and measures geared towards agriculture and grain, thereby bolstering national food security. First, grain production has achieved stable development. China has consistently kept its farmland area above the red line of 1.8 billion mu (about 120 million hectares) and cultivated 1 billion mu (about 66.7 million hectares) of high-standard farmland. It has secured a bumper harvest for the 19th year in a row, and its grain output has remained above 1.3 trillion jin (650 million tons) for eight consecutive years. The country's staple food self-sufficiency rate is above 100%, and the cereal self-sufficiency rate stands above 95%. The country's per capita share of grain stands at about 480 kilograms, higher than the internationally recognized security line of 400 kilograms. Basic self-sufficiency in grain and absolute security in staple foods has been achieved. Second, the operation of the grain market has remained smooth. Despite global fluctuations in the grain market due to factors such as the pandemic, economic downturn, extreme weather, and geopolitical conflicts, China's grain prices have remained generally stable within a reasonable range. The grain market has not experienced shortages, ensuring sufficient supply to meet the people's consumption needs. This plays a crucial role in promoting sustained and healthy economic development, as well as maintaining social harmony and stability. Third, grain circulation has proven to be efficient and seamless. Efforts have been made to modernize grain storage and logistics. Our national standard grain warehouses now possess a storage capacity of nearly 700 million tons, with storage conditions that meet the world's advanced level. The grain logistics network has become more comprehensive. The grain reserve system has been further improved with sufficient and high-quality government grain reserves. This plays a vital role in meeting basic needs, stabilizing expectations, and ensuring safety. The emergency supply system is notably comprehensive, and fully equipped to respond to major natural disasters and public emergencies.

Food security is of paramount importance in China. The 20th CPC National Congress emphasized the need to better safeguard China's new development pattern with the new security framework. It laid out key plans for food security, including reinforcing the foundations for food security on all fronts, ensuring that both Party committees and governments assume responsibility for ensuring food security and that China's total area of farmland does not fall below the redline of 120 million hectares. It also focused on refining the mechanisms to safeguard the incomes of grain growers and compensating major grain-producing areas, and ensuring that China's food supply remains firmly in its own hands. The year 2023 is the first year to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress. We will coordinate development with security, fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy, foster a new development pattern, and promote high-quality development. We will pursue a holistic approach to national security and implement the country's food security and rural revitalization strategies. We are committed to following the path of food security with Chinese characteristics and building a higher-level, higher-quality, more efficient, and sustainable national food security system to ensure food supply for the Chinese people. First, we will firmly shoulder the crucial task of ensuring food security. Collaborating with relevant departments, we will organize and implement assessments for cultivated land protection and the food security responsibility system. We will fully ensure that Party committees and the government assume responsibility for ensuring food security. Additionally, we will conduct thorough evaluations of central grain reserve management and the implementation of central grain policies. We will urge grain storage enterprises to fulfill their responsibilities diligently. Second, we will enhance our capacity to regulate grain purchase and storage effectively. This entails reinforcing coordinated guarantees throughout production, purchase, storage, processing and sales. We will adhere to and improve the minimum purchase price policy, actively promote market-oriented purchases, and ensure the grain that farmers grow is marketable. Moreover, we will enhance the grain reserve system by scientifically determining reserve scales and optimizing the structure. We will improve the grain monitoring and early warning system, strengthen precise regulation, and ensure the overall stability of the grain market. Third, we will continuously improve food security governance in accordance with the law. We will accelerate the advancement of food safety legislation, endeavoring for the prompt enactment of the Law on Ensuring Food Security and the Regulations on the Safety Management of Grain Reserves. We will optimize the institutional environment to foster governance based on the rule of law. We will conduct special rectification efforts to combat corruption in grain purchases and sales. We will also enhance supervision systems and mechanisms related to the procurement and sale of grain reserves. We will innovate and strengthen law enforcement and supervision, speeding up the construction and application of regulatory digitalization, and resolutely safeguarding and managing our grain reserves. Fourth, we will undertake initiatives for food conservation. We will implement the Food Conservation Action Plan, focusing on strengthening management and control across the entire chain to minimize losses and waste. We will organize themed activities such as World Food Day and National Food Safety Publicity Week. These efforts will guide the public in developing scientific and rational eating habits, fostering a new trend of cherishing food, reducing waste, and promoting healthy consumption.

Friends from the media, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we possess the foundation, conditions, capabilities and confidence to ensure that China's food supply remains firmly in the hands of our 1.4 billion people. We will firmly grasp the food security initiative, providing a solid guarantee for the successful start of building a modern socialist China in all respects.

Now, my colleagues and I are ready to communicate further and share perspectives on the questions raised by our media friends.

Shou Xiaoli:

Thank you for the introduction, Mr. Cong Liang. Now we will proceed to the question and answer session. Before asking your question, please state the name of the news organization you represent. Please raise your hand to ask your question.