1st Meeting of China-Germany Agricultural Ministerial Dialogue convened in Berlin
DATE:2014-10-14 SOURCE:Information Office, MOA
Minister Han Changfu and Mr. Christian Schmidt, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture of the Federal Republic of Germany, held the First Meeting of the China-Germany Agricultural Ministerial Dialogue in Berlin on Oct. 10, 2014. The two sides exchanged views on future bilateral agricultural cooperation.
At the meeting, Schmidt noted that over years China and Germany had carried out agricultural cooperation based on friendly spirit and mutual-trust. The two sides have successfully implemented several joint projects in crop production and cattle breeding. The German side stands ready to broaden and deepen practical cooperation with China, particularly on agricultural sustainable development and agri-product quality and safety. Germany will earnestly implement activities set down in the Strategic Plan on China-Germany Agricultural Cooperation 2015-2020, including the establishment of China-Germany Agricultural Center in China.
Minister Han agreed with Schmidt on his positive comments on bilateral agricultural cooperation, and expressed his pleasure in seeing all the achievements that had been made. He stressed that China will work together with Germany to fully implement cooperation activities in key areas identified by the Strategic Plan. He hoped that both sides would launch the new demonstration projects at early dates, and popularize the good practices and experience from China-Gernmany cooperation for wider implications. Minister Han invited Schmidt to visit China next year and unveil the China-Germany Agricultural Center.
In addition, the two sides discussed how to intensify agricultural S&T cooperation, and reached consensus on building an agricultural S&T cooperation platform under the framework of China-Germany Agricultural Center.
The Agricultural Ministerial Dialogue is a consensus reached during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Germany last year, and this First Meeting is an integral component of the 3rd round of China-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations. This is also one step forward from the long-committed vice-ministerial meetings on bilateral agricultural cooperation.
Following the Meeting, the two Ministers attended the 3rd round of China-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations. At the Consultations, under the witness of Chinese Premier and German Chancellor, the two Ministers signed the Strategic Plan.