“China Must Increase Its Agricultural Technology Self-Sufficiency”: Xi Jinping

The annual central rural work conference was held in Beijing on December 23 and 24. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), attended the conference and delivered an important speech.

In 2020, the central leadership stated that the country's seed industry was a weak link in the food chain and that it needed to make better use of science and technology to turn things around.

"It is necessary to keep an eye on the frontiers of agricultural science and technology around the world," Xi said at the rural work conference.

According to Xi, a strong agricultural sector is the foundation of a great modern socialist country. Agricultural development is critical to meeting people's basic needs for a better life, achieving high-quality development, and strengthening the foundation of national security.

Building solid agriculture should reflect Chinese characteristics and be based on China's national conditions, the reality of more people and less land, the historical background of agricultural civilization, and the requirements of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

The President urged China's agricultural sector to "vigorously improve" its science and technology and innovate more efficiently.

Xi urged the industry to address innovation-related issues, such as the rate of conversion into commercial applications and a lack of collaboration among research teams.

China has invested heavily in basic agricultural research, but few large commercial companies invest in long-term research and development to bring innovative solutions to market.