Belt and Road Forum a historic test
Beijing will host the first Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in less than two weeks. Following are the views of four scholars on its global importance:
Opportunities for us to work together
Ruan Zongze, deputy director of China Institute of International Studies
The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, has become the most promising platform for international cooperation. The initiative, comprising the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, has drawn a growing number of participants thanks to its global influence. More than 100 countries and international organizations support the initiative, while over 40 have signed cooperation agreements with China.
The initiative has added fresh impetus to China and the rest of the world to promote globalization and build a "community of shared destiny of humankind", which UN Security Council Resolution 2344 of March 17 referred to while calling for regional economic cooperation to promote sustainable growth in Afghanistan. The reference to a community of shared destiny of humankind in the resolution reflects the extent of China's contribution to global governance.
The UN reference was followed by New Zealand signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with China on March 31, indicating that more developed countries could join the Belt and Road Initiative.
Moreover, the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank already has 70 members, more than both the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development and the Asian Development Bank. The AIIB, in fact, is the world's largest multilateral development organization after the World Bank, and has five of the G7 countries as members.
Still, some scholars in the United States doubt the intention of China's initiative, suggesting it is part of Beijing's plan to widen its influence in Eurasia and challenge Washington's global leadership. A few US scholars have even labeled it the Marshall Plan of China, and adopted a wait-and-watch approach, while others oppose it simply because it was proposed by China. By doing so, they are only preventing US enterprises from benefiting from the initiative.
The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for May 14-15 will provide a platform for the participants to share their views about the future development of the initiative. In other words, although launched by China, the initiative can bring great benefits for all the participating countries. And it can help Washington and Beijing to work together in fields such as infrastructure construction in the US, and take measures to boost free trade in the Asia-Pacific region. Besides, the initiative can also help deepen Sino-US bilateral cooperation, and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.
Constructive alternative to gathering dark clouds
Martin Sieff, a senior fellow at the Global Policy Institute in Washington
Four years after its formal launch in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative continues to quietly generate momentum as one of the most important geostrategic developments of the new millennium.
Over the past 40 years, China has developed the greatest concentration of industrial and manufacturing capability, raising the overall standard of living of its people, while also helping boost the neighboring economies, which are among the greatest achievements of the human race.
And owing to its investments and still rapidly growing market for energy, food staples and raw materials, China has become the greatest economic engine powering the major economies of Africa as well.
But why is the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing so important for China? Does it mean China will further promote globalization and regional cooperation? And how should China try to seek more chances of cooperation with other countries?
The Belt and Road Initiative is vital to promoting peace and stability in two crucial regions of the world－Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Central Asia's most visionary leaders, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, President Almazbek Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan and President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan, have grasped the enormous value of transforming the region, long neglected as peripheral, into a central artery of world communication and commerce, because it will bring great benefits to their peoples.
The initiative offers the prospect of fulfilling through peace, rising living standards and improved international cooperation and understanding the goal of making the heartland of the "world island"－the combined continents of Asia, Europe and Africa－the communications heartland, or nerve center of the world.
That is why the forum in Beijing is so important. It offers the peoples of the "world island" a constructive alternative to the sinister gathering clouds of religious fanaticism, usually generated by poverty, fear and chaos, or the advance of menacing military alliances to threaten the national sovereignty of great nations.
Can help fulfill the dream of a shared destiny
Khalid Rahman, director general of the Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, as a "flagship project", is one of most crucial parts of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which has both economic and geopolitical goals. The impact of the Belt and Road Initiative can be gauged from the fact that once completed it will include more than 60 countries, more than half of global GDP, three-fourths of global energy reserves and more than 65 percent of the world population.
Due to its very substantial geographical location, the CPEC will serve as a primary facilitator in achieving the goal of global connectedness. On a regional level, it will gradually act as the center of economic activities with plans turning into progress. It will not only benefit Pakistan's economy by creating more than 700,000 jobs in the country and adding 2-2.5 percent to its GDP; its larger impact will be evident for regional neighbors as well.
There is good potential to link the CPEC with regional countries. The current focus is on its expansion toward the West: Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. Its expansion toward the East may take some time as India has occasionally expressed reservations against it, mainly on technical grounds. Yet as things are progressing, the chances that the CPEC could play a catalyst's role in even bringing the two countries closer are very much there.
Russia has vital interests in this region as well, as an active partner of both China and Pakistan. The Karachi-Lahore gas pipeline worth $1.7 billion has been pledged by Russia. And Russia, China and Pakistan have decided to work together to restore peace in Afghanistan.
Realizing the importance of the CPEC for Central Asia and Russia, their leaderships have shown greater interest in developing more cordial and cooperative economic and geostrategic relations with Pakistan in areas such as trade, energy sharing and tourism. Keeping in view China's economic and geostrategic interest in Central Asia and Russia, it is a vital development. The increased economic cooperation between Pakistan and Central Asia and Russia will also strengthen Pakistan's role in regional organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Iran, too, has been playing a very significant role in regional cooperation through the CPEC, and it is significant that Chabahar and Gwadar ports, once portrayed as competitors, have now been declared as sister ports. Given the changing scenarios, the Iranian leadership hinted that China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia should cooperate more for regional stability. And China-Russia-Iran-Pakistan cooperation is being discussed in this context.
Given these scenarios of regional connectivity, there is a definite chance the CPEC will sow the seeds of more comprehensive regional connectivity and fulfill the dream of shared destiny.
Drift toward geopolitics can be counterproductive
Swaran Singh, a professor at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Right from the beginning, the Belt and Road Initiative has been the subject of extreme interpretations, which either border on sloganeering by one camp which belches out unacceptable ridicule or the other side that churns out slavish eulogies. The biggest challenge for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, therefore, lies in providing much needed clarity on not just the Belt and Road "paradigm" but also on its current outline and its tools and tactics.
Addressing skeptics remains the most formidable task for building Belt and Road "partnerships" based, not on short-term development needs, but on enduring commitments arising out of mutual trust and mutual benefit. Being in the lead in unfolding this historic metamorphosis, the onus lies with China's leaders to show that the Belt and Road Initiative's goal is beyond a knee-jerk reflex driven by compulsions to invest China's excessive foreign exchange reserves.
For the Belt and Road Initiative to succeed in re-writing history, Beijing must first convince all the major players so that the opportunity to herald outside-the-box strategies is not allowed to become hostage to 20th century obsessions with geopolitics. The Belt and Road juggernaut seems unstoppable now; so by restricting it to loyal followers alone may dwarf its possibilities.
Especially, in the context of US President Donald Trump's whimsical twists and turns casting doubts on Washington's leadership to address global threats, several countries have become skeptical about China's ambitions, because they assume the initiative is solidly backed by its financial and technological capacities for implementing hundreds of projects. And though there is no dearth of takers of such benefits, it will be myopic to privilege quantity over quality.
India is not the only country to follow this wait-and-watch policy.
As international relations shift from inter-state to inter-societal channels thanks to the advancement of information technology, the old-fashioned focus on demarcated borders and military alliances emphasizing "divisions" are fast giving way to logistics of "connectivity".
The Indian prime minister's emphasis on highways and information technology expressways, and culture, commerce and connectivity shows that the Indian leadership is aware of such shifts. This is not to say the hangover of geopolitics no longer colors the Indian leadership's visions about the Belt and Road economic corridors. In their ideal state, instead of being tools of territorial domination, the corridors constitute multi-model, multi-nodal "processes" grounded in the framework of multiple ownership and multiple beneficiaries.
It is thus for Beijing to ensure these economic corridors are seen as "channels" that seek to connect economic agencies to various hubs and nodes that are ordained with concentrated presence of economic actors and resources. Only if all the stakeholders begin to see the Belt and Road Initiative in this pure form of geo-economics can it become their path to prosperity and peace.
Any actual or perceived drift toward geopolitics will not just be futile but counterproductive.
Source: China Daily Updated: 2017-05-02
Vice premier urges improved rural credit guarantee system
BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang called for a better rural credit guarantee system to direct more loans into the money-starved rural economy.
Establishing a government-backed system is significant to boosting efficiency of support policies for rural areas and carrying out the agricultural supply-side structural reform, Wang said during a meeting on Friday.
To help farmers secure loans, efforts should be made to build more guarantee institutions specializing in rural financing and create new business models, according to Wang.
Chinese farmers and agri-businesses have been facing difficulties in borrowing money from banks partly due to the lack of high-quality collateral, and the government is encouraging pilots in rural credit guarantees to solve the problem.
Wang urged more cooperation by governments, banks and guarantee institutions.
Outstanding agriculture-related loans in China stood at 29.23 trillion yuan (4.24 trillion U.S. dollars) as of the end of the first quarter this year, up 8.9 percent year on year, according to the central bank.
The growth was 1.8 percentage points higher than the level a quarter ago.
DATE:2017-05-02 Source: Xinhua News Agency
Iowa's friends in high places
'Historic' visit by President Xi to friendly agricultural state in the US Midwest helped put down roots that have since grown into a blossoming relationship
Entering the World Food Prize Foundation building, the first things that catch your eye are two Chinese characters pronounced as dadou, meaning soybean, carved on one of the four pillars at the hall. This is a courtesy to China as the home of soybeans. In fact, it's easy to find Chinese elements inside the building, located in downtown Des Moines, capital of the state of Iowa in the US Midwest.
Pictures of He Kang, former Chinese agriculture minister, and Yuan Longping, a Chinese agronomist known for his hybrid rice, are displayed on a wall among a group of those winning the World Food Prize.
Dayu, a Chinese water control hero in ancient times, has his name engraved high on the wall; a bronze plaque showing Chinese President Xi Jinping (then vice-president) addressing the US-China Agricultural Symposium in the building on Feb 16, 2012, hangs in the conference hall, and nearby hangs a replica of a famous Chinese painting showing how Chinese farmers cultivated crops in ancient times.
Kenneth Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation, remembers every detail of Xi's visit to his organization in 2012.
"This is a historic event that connects China and the US, connects President Xi and Iowa. It was a significant moment for our organization, the World Food Prize," he says.
"We're proud of President Xi," Quinn says. "We think of him as somebody with an Iowa connection, a family member."
Pointing to a picture displayed in his house of him in a tractor with Xi, Rick Kimberley, of Kimberley Farms Inc, talks about Xi's visit to his farm in 2012.
"I asked President Xi if he wanted to get in the tractor, and he was very anxious to get in," he says.
"He was sitting here in the main seat, I was sitting on the smaller seat here right beside him. ... We had a very good talk about technology, about the monitors we have here in the cab.
"This is a famous picture that has been in all the papers here in the United States, and I believe it was in many newspapers in China," says Kimberley, the fifth generation of the Kimberley Farms family.
There is a US phrase "Iowa nice", referring to the open, responsive, bighearted, welcoming attitudes, hospitality, generosity and soft-spoken demeanor typical of Midwesterners.
In 1985, Xi, then party secretary of Zhengding county in China's northern province of Hebei, led a five-person delegation to Muscatine in the state of Iowa.
The "Iowa nice" attitude impressed him so deeply that when he revisited Muscatine and met his old friends at the home of Sarah Lande in 2012, he said: "You were the first people I met in America. Tome, you are America."
Iowa Soybean Association Chief Executive Officer Kirk Leeds shares similar memories.
"Being in the Midwest, and as an agriculture state, we have 'Iowa nice'," Kirk says. "We would say Xi experienced 'Iowa nice' back in 1985 and experienced it again when he came back. We are proud of the relationship, and we have some responsibility for the US-China relationship because of the special relationship with President Xi."
With this "Iowa nice" feeling on both sides, exchanges between China and Iowa have increased dramatically in recent years.
Iowa and Hebei province have become sister state/provinces; Muscatine has a sister city relationship with Zhengding, and many Chinese delegations have come to Iowa to visit Kimberley Farms. Additionally, agricultural education exchanges between Iowa and China have been enhanced, and the number of Chinese tourists visiting Iowa has increased.
Kimberley Farms has so far built two demonstration farms in China - one in Hebei province and the other in Northeast China's Jilin province - and has established a cooperative relationship with many farms in China.
Trade between China, Iowa and the US Midwest has skyrocketed. Fifty-six percent of US soybean exports go to China, and Iowa is the second largest soybean producer in the US. Iowa also supplies feed and pork to China.
China's trade with nine states in the Midwest reached $92.6 billion in 2015. Chinese enterprises have invested a total of $13 billion in the Midwest, creating nearly 30,000 jobs, according to statistics provided by the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago.
"So we will just build on those relationships and continue with that," says Kirk.
"The visit of President Xi to our home meant a great deal to us, and we have a great love and understanding for the people of China now," Kimberley says.
"It's brought us to understand China and the people of China much better. We might be in different countries, but we're all alike. We're all human beings."
Source: China Daily European Weekly
China cuts taxes further, pesticide VAT reduced to 11%
On April 19, an executive meeting of the State Council was held and presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, where a decision was made to adopt further tax reduction measures to cut costs and promote growth in the real economy.
At the meeting, as a follow up to the Yuan200 billion tax reduction measures put in place in the first quarter of the year, the additional measures that were decided upon are as following:
Beginning from July 1 this year, VAT (Value-Added Tax) rate brackets will be reduced from 4 to 3, pegged respectively at 17 percent, 11 percent and 6 percent, while the bracket of 13 percent has been cancelled. It is expected that this initiative will effect a further tax reduction of over Yuan380 billion in favor of all market players and promote growth in the real economy.
According to provisions of Item 2 of Article 4 of the Provisional Regulations of the People‘s Republic of China on VAT issued under ref GWY-538, tax payers are subject to a 13 percent tax upon import or sales of the following goods. This means that VAT for natural gas, pesticides, fertilizers and farm machinery will be brought down to 11 percent now with the cancellation of a 13 percent tax.
Source: AgroPages.com
Chinese"One Belt One Road" initiative will benefit all participants
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - China's Belt and Road Initiative not only benefits all participatingcountries and regions, but also strengthens relations among them, Cambodian minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth has said.
The proposal refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient traderoutes of Silk Road.
"It is a promising initiative, which not only benefits all members' economic performance, but also strengthens ties," Aun Pornmoniroth said ahead of the Belt and Road Forum forInternational Cooperation to be held from May 14 to 15 in Beijing.
The initiative will help develop some of the economically least integrated parts of the world through greater connectivity, including the construction of infrastructure, the minister said.
"As the dynamics of international relations are changing rapidly, we lookto China to play an even larger role on the global stage," he said.
He said China is well-positioned to play a leading role in deepening regional economic integration through strengthening connectivity and economic development.
In regional connectivity, he said that the initiative benefits all participants in Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania, lowering transportation cost, increasing trade volume and value, and extending trade accessibility.
For economic development, he said that the initiative fosters collaboration within the regions with a flow of people, goods, trade, capital and ideas, thus enhancing economic performance in each country and region through better connectivity by road, rail and air which will support stronger links in trade, investment, banking and finance.
Under the initiative, he said, Cambodia and China agreed to focus on core areas such as infrastructure and agriculture.
In infrastructure, he said the cooperation focuses on transportation such as railway, highway, aviation, communication, network, aerospace and nuclear energy.
On the agriculture, it focuses on specialized crops, aquatic and animal products, as well asfood processing, agricultural inspection and quarantine, he said.
Cambodia will benefit from this initiative through increasing trade and investment with China and other countries, he said. "China will be a key market for Cambodia's export diversification and investment programs."
The minister also said that China has put great emphasis on people-to-people relationship to enhance friendship with Cambodia.
"We are looking to China not only for financing and investment flows, but also to bring inmanagement skills, technical knowledge and skills knowledge and new technologies, particularly in the area of infrastructure development," he said. "In other words, we believe China should be a knowledge provider."
Source: China Daily 04/28/2017
China’s Agriculture Minister Han Changfu holds talks with EU Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development
China's Agriculture Minister Han Changfu held talks with Mr. Phil Hogan, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, in Brussels on 20 April 2017. The two sides had extensive and in-depth discussions on enhancing China-EU agricultural cooperation, particularly in the areas of animal health quarantine, agricultural market access, geographical indications and WTO agriculture negotiations.
Minister Han recognized the achievements of bilateral agricultural cooperation and highly appreciated Mr. Hogan for his sincere efforts in strengthening agricultural cooperation with China. He noted that China and the EU shares great potential for cooperation in green agriculture development, agricultural trade and investment, as well as agricultural heritage conservation. China encourages EU enterprises to invest in China’s modern agricultural development. Minister Han invited the EU delegation to the China Agricultural Trade Fair in late September this year, and put forward a proposal to convene the China-EU agro-processing forum concurrently with the Fair.
Mr. Hogan said that the EU highly values agricultural cooperation with China and is willing to facilitate the docking between EU “Horizon 2020 program” and China’s "five great moves on green agricultural development”, in order to draw on each other’s strengths and promote common agricultural development.
On 21 April 2017, Minister Han and Mr. Hogan signed the Joint Statement on the Establishment of an EU-China Project on Capacity Building for Young Professional Farmers and Agricultural Professionals at the EU headquarters, vowing to facilitate exchanges and training of young farmers and strengthen the agricultural talent pool.
Source: Chinese MOA Information Office
“Phenamacril + tebuconazole”, first choice for prevention and control of wheat scab in China’s Anhui Province
On 5 April, 2017, the Anhui Provincial Agriculture Commission predicted at the Wheat Scab Prevention and Control Press Conference that the wheat scab would occur to be serious throughout the province this year and that about 4.3 million ha should be sprayed for prevention and control. “This is very formidable,” stated the Commission, “And we chose phenamacril + tebuconazole (Commodity name: Jingxing 劲兴) as the first pesticide for prevention and control.”
Reportedly, this is the first time for Anhui Province to hold the press conference for the prevention and control of wheat scab, which is a showcase about the strong stress on the work. “In recent years, the occurrence (incl. stricken area and seriousness) has been increasing, impacted by the climate conditions and the changes in culture. During 2012-2016, there were 3 years seeing serious occurrence, which showed extremely high frequencies. Now the whole province has witnessed its occurrence.”
In order to better prevent and control the wheat scab, the Anhui Crop Protection Station issued the Technical Notice for Prevention and Control of Wheat Scab on 27 March, 2017, a move intended to choose pesticides that are resistant to rainfall erosion, and at the same time are effective on wheat powdery mildew and wheat rust. The Station recommended the said phenamacril + tebuconazole, which was developed by Jiangsu Pesticide Research Institute Company Ltd., as the first choice, along with tebuconazole + prochloraz, propiconazole + thiram, prothioconazole + tebuconazole, prochloraz + thiophanate methyl, and difenoconazole + propiconazole.
Source: Think Real
Special English teacher training coming to rural China
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The Jack Ma Foundation and English education platform VIPKID recently announced in Beijing a cooperative plan to support teacher training in impoverished areas of China.
The two sides have worked together and offered training and quality English teaching resources for teachers at five pilot schools in Yunnan, Guizhou and Gansu provinces through an online platform.
They plan to extend such support to more than 200 schools in the following two years, and meanwhile, through the same platform, enable teachers and students in these areas to communicate directly with English teachers abroad.
Mi Wenjuan, founder and CEO of VIPKID, said high-quality teaching content and good teachers are key elements in resolving the education problems facing China's impoverished areas.
"We hope that through the cooperation and the online platform, teachers and students in remote areas can have fresh English teaching materials and could conduct English conversations directly with teachers overseas," she said.
She added that the company announced an investment of 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) in January to help broaden the vision of children in remote and impoverished areas of China by offering more English teaching resources.
Hu Zhiqiang, general manager of the Education Network Platform under the Jack Ma Foundation, established in October to boost educational equity in China, said the cooperation will help reduce the short supply of English teachers in underdeveloped areas of China.
"The cooperation would benefit English education in these areas by bringing the needs of teachers and students and the English education resources at VIPKID together," he said.
DATE:2017-04-25 SOURCE:China Daily
Poverty alleviation projects carried out in China's Guangxi
A villager shows a cultured scorpion in Nongjingtun Village of Qibainong Township in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21, 2017. Poverty-stricken towns in Guangxi region, such as Qibai, Bansheng and Yalong, are featured with harsh living environment due to water and cropland shortage in the karst landform. Local government has made efforts to carry out poverty alleviation projects, such as building water boxes, renovating thatched houses and developing poultry and livestock industry for local residents. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)
Workers carry water pipes for building a drought resistance project on a mountain road in Nonglei Village of Bansheng Township in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 10, 2016. Poverty-stricken towns in Guangxi region, such as Qibainong, Bansheng and Yalong, are featured with harsh living environment due to water and cropland shortage in the karst landform. Local government has made efforts to carry out poverty alleviation projects, such as building water boxes, renovating thatched houses and developing poultry and livestock industry for local residents. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)
Photo taken on March 24, 2017 shows spiral terraced fields piled up by stones in Nongcong Village of Bansheng Township in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Poverty-stricken towns in Guangxi region, such as Qibai, Bansheng and Yalong, are featured with harsh living environment due to water and cropland shortage in the karst landform. Local government has made efforts to carry out poverty alleviation projects, such as building water boxes, renovating thatched houses and developing poultry and livestock industry for local residents. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)
Power workers renew electric transmission line in Nongjing Village of Qibainong Township in Dahua Yao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 21, 2017. Poverty-stricken towns in Guangxi region, such as Qibai, Bansheng and Yalong, are featured with harsh living environment due to water and cropland shortage in the karst landform. Local government has made efforts to carry out poverty alleviation projects, such as building water boxes, renovating thatched houses and developing poultry and livestock industry for local residents. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)
Water boxes are built around villagers' houses in Nongxiong Village of Qibainong Township, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 24, 2017. Poverty-stricken towns in Guangxi region, such as Qibai, Bansheng and Yalong, are featured with harsh living environment due to water and cropland shortage in the karst landform. Local government has made efforts to carry out poverty alleviation projects, such as building water boxes, renovating thatched houses and developing poultry and livestock industry for local residents. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)
DATE:2017-04-25 SOURCE:Xinhua News Agency
MOA holds briefing on China International Tea Expo (2)
The MOA held a well-attended briefing on the China International Tea Expo for the diplomatic community in Beijing on 21 April 2017. Vice Minister Qu Dongyu attended and addressed the event.
Vice Minister Qu pointed out that agricultural trade and exchanges have been major components of cooperation among countries along the Silk Road since ancient times. Following the principles of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the First China International Tea Expo is a grand event for China’s tea industry and serves as an important platform for exchanges and cooperation in tea and coffee with other countries.
Vice Minister Qu emphasized that the MOA highly values the First China International Tea Expo and is willing to work with all countries to facilitate policy communication, trade promotion and technological exchanges for sustainable and green development in the tea and coffee industries worldwide. He hoped that the embassies in China could convey the message to competent departments, relevant associations and large enterprises in their respective countries as soon as possible. The MOA is looking forward to their participation in the Expo.
At the briefing, officials from the Department of Market and Economic Information of the MOA and the Agriculture Department of Zhejiang Province outlined the theme and schedule of the First China International Tea Expo, briefed attendees on preferential policies and services for exhibitors, and took questions from the diplomats.
Participants to the briefing included Ambassadors, Counsellors and Secretaries from 19 foreign countries such as Bolivia, Peru, Slovenia and Turkey, and representatives from Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, World Food Programme and Center for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization.
DATE:2017-04-24 SOURCE:MOA Information Office