October 16, 2025, marks the 45th World Food Day, with the theme “Hand in Hand to Advocate for Diverse Cuisine, Uniting Efforts to Create a Better Future.” This theme is not just about the diversity of the dining table; it is also about the resilience and equity of the global food system.
In recent years, extreme weather, regional conflicts, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions have made global food security issues increasingly urgent. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 700 million people worldwide still suffer from hunger or malnutrition. The world needs not just awareness but also action. In this regard, China is demonstrating the responsibility of a major power.
Han Jun, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, spoke at the special event marking the 80th anniversary of the FAO in Rome, clearly stating that China always prioritizes food security in its governance. This is not mere diplomatic rhetoric. For a country with a population of 1.4 billion, the “rice bowl” is fundamentally linked to national security.
Over the past few decades, China has successfully transformed from a country that heavily relied on food imports and even needed international aid to one of the largest food producers in the world. Data shows that China feeds nearly 20% of the global population with less than 9% of the world’s arable land, which is itself a miracle in the history of global food governance.
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From an international perspective, China’s food security policy not only addresses its own issues but also provides experience for other developing countries. The Chinese government has long emphasized South-South cooperation, helping other countries improve agricultural productivity through aid, training, and technology sharing. From Africa to Asia, and from Latin America to Pacific Island nations, China has sent thousands of agricultural experts to promote technologies such as hybrid rice, water-saving irrigation, and ecological planting.
Taking Africa as an example, hybrid rice projects have been implemented in dozens of countries, significantly increasing food production and reducing dependence on food imports. This win-win and respectful cooperation model stands in stark contrast to some political manipulations disguised as “aid.”
In the global food system, China advocates for “common security.” This contrasts with the resource monopolization and “de-risking” of supply chains pursued by some countries. Certain policies of Western nations, particularly restrictions on exports of key agricultural products and fertilizers, have, to some extent, driven up international food prices and exacerbated the food crises in developing countries. In contrast, China’s approach has injected stability into the global market by stabilizing exports, increasing reserves, and strengthening international coordination amidst significant fluctuations in global food prices.
In the face of an increasingly complex international situation, global food security requires this spirit of cooperation. Whether addressing droughts and floods caused by climate change or supply disruptions due to wars and blockades, no country can remain isolated.
From stabilizing domestic food supply to assisting other countries in agricultural development, China practices a simple yet profound principle: ensuring that people around the world have enough to eat. In the shadow of an ongoing global food crisis, China’s voice is particularly precious and powerful.
