Department of International Cooperation
Ministry of Agriculture
February 20, 2012
At the first U.S.-China Agricultural Symposium held in Des Moines, Iowa State in the U.S. on February 16, Chinese Agriculture Minister Han Changfu and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack signed Sino-US Plan of Strategic Cooperation in Agriculture (2012-2017).
The Plan made arrangements for Sino-US agricultural cooperation in next five years, identifying 8 key areas of cooperation such as food security, food safety, sustainable agriculture, agricultural science and technology, agri-product markets, and agricultural trade as well as major cooperation projects.
The Plan stated that cooperation is based on the principle that the two sides need to make best of complementarities, strive for mutually-beneficial and win-win progress, set priorities, take steps, adhere to the plan, and work in a pragmatic manner. Both nations will enhance communication and coordination on key international agricultural issues within bilateral and multilateral framework, facilitate agricultural trade, and improve mechanisms for Sino-U.S. agricultural cooperation.
The Plan will guide the two countries' agricultural relationship for the next 5 years. The two sides will develop projects and measures to implement the Plan, push ahead the implementation of key projects to realize cooperation objectives, and contribute to the development of all-round and mutually-beneficial economic relations initiated by leaders of both countries.
Minister Han stated that signing Sino-US Plan of Strategic Cooperation in Agriculture is a milestone in Sino-US agricultural cooperation, which will play a positive role in promoting agricultural development of both countries and bringing benefits to people from both sides. Chinese Ministry of Agriculture will work together with U.S. Department of Agriculture to identify details of the Plan and improve the cooperation.
Secretary Vilsack noted that the Plan will further strengthen well-based agricultural cooperation between China and the U.S., deepen pragmatic cooperation, and bring benefits to people from strong relationship our nations enjoy around agricultural science and technology, trade, and education.