Zhang Jun (C, front), China's permanent representative to the United Nations, speaks during a UN Security Council open debate on famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity at the UN headquarters in New York, Aug. 3, 2023. A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the international community to address the root causes of food insecurity. (Xinhua/Xie E)
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the international community to address the root causes of food insecurity.
At present, the global food security situation faces greater challenges. While addressing urgent issues, the international community must focus on the root causes and conduct a systematic review of the situation in order to thoroughly resolve the issue, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.
Food insecurity is essentially the result of insufficient and unbalanced development worldwide, affecting developing countries the most, he told a UN Security Council open debate on famine and conflict-induced global food insecurity.
"It is closely related to the longstanding, unjust and unreasonable food production and trade system and the global governance system as a whole. The international community should address both the symptoms and root causes, improve rules and regulations, and take comprehensive measures to achieve the goal of zero hunger in 2030 as planned," he said.
COMMON SECURITY
Zhang stressed the need to uphold the vision of common security.
"Without common security of the world, it is difficult to achieve sustainable food security. We should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, stay committed to settling disputes through peaceful means and promoting dialogue, and respond to various challenges, including food insecurity, in the spirit of unity and mutual benefit," he said.
"We must firmly oppose actions that affect global food security and international cooperation, such as unilateral sanctions, decoupling and severing supply chains, disrupting market order and suppressing enterprises from other countries."
China urges relevant countries to immediately stop such practices, which lack legal foundations and run counter to fairness and justice, he said.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative and the memorandum of understanding on Russia's grain and fertilizer exports had had a positive impact on maintaining global food security. China hopes that all relevant parties can intensify dialogue and consultation to meet each other halfway, and help restore the package agreement as soon as possible, he said.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Zhang also called for efforts to bridge the development gap between the North and the South to achieve sustainable development, which is the most fundamental guarantee for achieving common food security.
The international community should address the issue within the framework of global macroeconomic policy coordination and sustainable development, and heed the voice of developing countries, strengthen North-South dialogue and coordination, pool more development resources, and build greater development synergies, he said.
"We should step up efforts to assist developing countries in need in resolving challenges in agriculture, rural areas and farmers, enhancing resilience to climate change and natural disasters, and increasing food production and self-sufficiency," he said.
Developed countries should cancel unreasonable agricultural subsidies, adopt reasonable monetary policies, earnestly fulfill their official development assistance commitments, and refrain from imposing technology blockades, or resorting to "small yard, high fence," he said.
Technology transfer and application and the sharing of knowledge in biology, digital space technologies and other areas should be accelerated to provide more assistance for developing countries.
FOOD GOVERNANCE SYSTEM
Zhang also stressed the need to improve the global food and agriculture governance system.
The global food market has long faced problems such as the monopoly of pricing power by major grain dealers, structural imbalance in production and supply chains, and high monetization of agriculture products, he said, adding certain countries have indiscriminately imposed unilateral coercive measures, causing serious difficulties in agriculture and economic development of the targeted countries.
The international community should attach great importance to resolving these persistent problems that undermine global food security, improve global food and agriculture governance, and focus on increasing the representation, voice and decision-making power of developing countries.
Efforts should be made to remove the restrictions of unilateral sanctions on food production and exports, combat speculative capitals and price monopoly, and build safe, stable, efficient, mutually beneficial industrial and supply chains, as well as a fairer and more reasonable international food trade order, he said.
China has made contributions to maintaining global food security with proactive actions. China has proposed the Global Development Initiative and an international food security cooperation initiative, advocating for deepening practical cooperation on food security, and supporting developing countries in funding, technology and marketing to improve their food production, storage and loss-reduction capabilities, said Zhang.
China has carried out agricultural cooperation with over 140 countries and territories, introduced over 1,000 agricultural technologies to developing countries, trained over 14,000 professionals in hybrid rice technology for more than 80 developing countries, helped launch 13 demonstration villages on agricultural development and poverty reduction in Africa, and provided emergency food aid to countries in need.
China stands ready to work with other countries to deepen exchanges and cooperation and make greater contributions to global food security, he said. ■
