Agriculture leaders call for China-US collaboration

Leaders from the agriculture sectors in the United States and China hope that their large trade volume in farm products could play a role in improving bilateral relations.

Government officials from the national to local level in both countries participated in the opening of a virtual conference of the US-China Agriculture Roundtable on Monday night to emphasize the need for dialogue and collaboration.

The roundtable, hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the United States Heartland China Association, will have three virtual events.

The events will showcase small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises, and two dialogues will focus on agricultural education and on a collaboration strategy on climate change and rural prosperity.

"I hope the conference will bring some warmth to the chilly China-US relations," said Lin Songtian, president of the CPAFFC.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang noted that the US is the world's largest exporter of agricultural products, while China is the biggest importer. "As a highlight of China-US cooperation, agricultural cooperation is well-grounded and highly complementary between the two countries," he said.

Qin said that since the phase one trade deal was signed in 2020, China has been faithfully fulfilling its agricultural procurement and commitment.

"On average, each American farmer exported more than $11,000 (in) agricultural products to China. Agricultural cooperation best explains the win-win nature of our economic and trade relations," Qin said.

Jason Hafemeister, acting deputy undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the US Department of Agriculture, said 2021 was a record year for US-China agricultural trade.

Hafemeister said the US exported more than $33 billion in agricultural products to China last year, a big increase over the previous record of $25 billion and much better than the $10 billion that was a result of the trade war.

China was the top export destination for US farmers in 2021.

"We have great optimism that we can do even better," Hafemeister said.

"If we can stay on track with the market staying open," he added, "this in the short term could be a $50 billion market."

He said the ups and downs in agricultural trade offer the lesson that when there are restrictions on trade, US farmers get lower prices and Chinese consumers pay more, and this isn't good for either.

Ni Pin, president of the China General Chamber of Commerce-Chicago, said that about 250 Chinese companies are investing in the US' Midwest, most of them in agricultural sectors.

Bob Holden, CEO and president of the United States Heartland China Association, said he is encouraged to see that President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping are maintaining a regular dialogue.

He emphasized that collaboration is essential in three areas－sustainably feeding the growing population, combating climate change and preventing future pandemics－for the planet to survive and thrive.

"We will reap what we sow this season, and this is the season for planting peace in our world," Holden said.

Wuke Zhang in Oxford, Ohio, contributed to this story.

mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com