Zhang Zhili, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, met with Kenneth Quinn, an American friend of China and President Emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation, in Beijing on September 17. 

Vice Minister Zhang said that the friendly cooperation and joint efforts between China and the US to address global challenges contribute to global peace and development. Agriculture is a key area of practical cooperation between the two countries, while people-to-people exchanges play an important role in deepening and strengthening bilateral agricultural relations. He also noted that Mr. Quinn has long been a friend of China and has worked extensively to promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and establish a platform for agricultural cooperation between Chinese provinces and US states. Vice Minister Zhang expressed hope that Mr. Quinn would continue to show interest in supporting agricultural development in both countries and make further contributions to friendly exchanges at both official level and grassroots level. 

Mr. Quinn said that China is a great country and that under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has achieved historic successes in economic and social development, particularly in poverty alleviation and eradication, offering Chinese wisdom and solutions for global poverty reduction. China–US friendship is precious, and the two countries should be partners rather than competitors. Both sides should move toward each other, strengthen cooperation, and continue to deepen bilateral exchanges, thereby bringing greater benefits to the people of both countries and the world at large. Mr. Quinn also expressed his willingness to continue contributing to the sound development of China–US relations.