China-Africa Agricultural Forum Opens in Beijing

Source: Xinhua News Agency

The China-Africa Agricultural Forum opened in Beijing on August 11

Beijing, August 11 (Xinhua) The China-Africa Agricultural Forum jointly sponsored by the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture of the People s Republic of China kicked off in Beijing on August 11.

Wang Jiarui, Minister of the International Department, said in his opening speech, that achieving sustainable agricultural development and resolving food security issues not only bore on people s wellbeing and a nation s rise and fall, but served as a mission shared by China and ruling parties of African countries, who, therefore, had the responsibility and obligation to jointly promote common development in agriculture and raise the level of food security through strengthening bilateral cooperation in this field. Minister Wang then made three suggestions: first, we should commit ourselves to pushing forward China-Africa agricultural cooperation from a strategic perspective; second, we should work hard to explore means and channels in carrying out China-Africa agricultural cooperation in an all-round way; third, we should strive to achieve a series of specific fruitful results in China-Africa agricultural cooperation in a down-to-earth way.

Niu Dun, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Zhai Jun, Vice Foreign Minister, Fu Ziying, Vice Minister of Commerce, Joice Mujuru, Vice President of Zimbabwe, Kalonzo Stephen Musyoka, Vice President of Kennya, and Al-Zubair Ahmed Al-Hasan, Economy Secretary of Sudan s National Congress Party, delivered respectively a speech at the opening ceremony. A letter of consolation was also read out to flood-hit Jilin Province where the forum had been originally planned to be held.

Li Jinjun, Vice Minister of the International Department, presided at the opening ceremony, which was attended by a total of about 350 people from 18 African countries, including heads of government and ruling parties, envoys and domestic and international entrepreneurs.