The 14th meeting of China-EU Dialogue on Agricultural and Rural Development was held via video conference on Dec. 15, 2021. Vice Minister Ma Youxiang and Wolfgang Burtscher, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) of the European Commission addressed the meeting.  

Vice Minister Ma Youxiang pointed out that since the establishment of the dialogue on agricultural and rural development, China and the EU have continuously increased consensus on key issues, promoted and facilitated agricultural trade, advanced agricultural S&T cooperation, and enhanced exchanges involving young agricultural professionals. At present, both China and the EU have entered a new era of agricultural and rural development, bearing the responsibility to boost cooperation, jointly tackle challenges and promote sound development of global agriculture. Going forward, the two sides should build up closer and more stable cooperation in agricultural economy and trade, upgrade mechanisms for dialogue, and tap potential for cooperation in sustainable agricultural development, rural development, climate change and smart agriculture. 

Burtscher spoke highly of China-EU cooperation in recent years, and expressed the EU’s willingness to further cooperation with China in various agricultural fields. At the meeting, the two sides also discussed issues concerning agricultural and rural policies, sustainable agricultural development, training of young farmers, and agricultural S&T cooperation, among other topics.