The opening ceremony for the 9th Sino-German Agricultural Week was held in Bengbu, Anhui Province, on Oct. 31. Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, attended the event and delivered remarks. 

Vice Minister Ma said China has always prioritized guaranteeing food security and has  implemented the strategy of increasing grain production through soil conservation and technology progress. China has advanced farmland conservation in all respects, facilitated the green transition throughout the whole agricultural value chain, made breakthroughs in agricultural S&T and equipment, and has continuously provided technical assistance and emergency food aid to countries most in need. China has not only ensured the food supply for its over 1.4 billion people but has also made great contributions to global food security and sustainable agricultural development. 

Vice Minister Ma said transforming the food system is urgent and necessary. China hopes to promote experience sharing with Germany on food system transformation and advance pragmatic cooperation so that the two countries may jointly respond to global challenges. He expressed expectations that China and Germany would further strengthen policy dialogue, deepen S&T cooperation, conduct closer exchange of talents, and leverage the role of the Sino-German Agricultural Centre in order to facilitate agricultural development in both countries by achieving tangible results. 

Ophelia Nick, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany, and Zhang Shuguang, Vice Governor of Anhui Province, attended the event and delivered remarks. Representatives from government departments, institutes, businesses and industry associations of both countries participated. This year’s agricultural week featured an opening ceremony, themed seminars, business dialogues, field trips, and other events with a focus on the transformation of agricultural and food systems. 

During the event, Vice Minister Ma met with Ophelia Nick. They exchanged views on deepening agricultural cooperation between China and Germany. They also agreed to actively respond to various challenges in the transformation of agricultural and food systems, strengthen communication and cooperation in areas such as agro-trade, technical specifications on pesticides and veterinary drugs, and consolidate and improve bilateral agricultural relations.