China’s food security is a ‘political responsibility’, says Xi

During a tour of northeastern China, Xi also said that “further reform and opening up” was crucial to revitalising the region’s economy, and urged the area to create a better “market-oriented, rule- and law-based, and international” business environment.

“Jilin should develop modern agriculture … promote scientific and technological, green, and high-quality agriculture, and establish more agricultural brands,” Xi said, while also calling for it to promote “a diversified food supply system”.

China’s three northeastern provinces – Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning – are one of the country’s most important grain-producing areas but the former industrial heartland is struggling economically.

Together with Inner Mongolia, the three provinces produce a quarter of the country’s total grain supplies, according to Xinhua.