Senior Chinese legislator urges collective efforts to ensure food security

A senior Chinese legislator on Friday called for global collective efforts to address food security issues and said developing countries bear the brunt of food crises.

Food security concerns not only individual economies and people's well-being, but also world peace and security, said Jiang Shusheng, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), in a speech at the ongoing G20 Speakers' Consultation in Ottawa.

"Today, the global food security situation remains grave. With poor economic and social conditions, vulnerabilities to risks and a low level of resilience, developing countries are hit hardest by the global financial and food crises," Jiang said.

He called on all countries in the world to show political will and work actively and effectively to coordinate policies and actions in the larger interest of human survival and development.

He put forward China's proposals -- which include developing a vision of advancing food security through win-win cooperation, adopting a development-oriented food security strategy, creating an international environment featuring equality and mutual benefit, establishing a fair and reasonable global governance structure, and achieving comprehensive and balanced agricultural development.

On the same day, during a meeting with Noel Kinsella, speaker of Canada's Senate, Jiang said there is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and Canada, and the two countries should review their bilateral relationship from a new strategic height.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. There have been frequent exchanges of high-level visits in recent years and areas of cooperation continue to expand, Jiang said.

China and Canada should respect each other's sovereignty and core interests, and give full play to the potential for cooperation in the spirit of equality and mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation, in their joint response to the challenges brought by the global financial crisis, he added.

Kinsella said the Chinese delegation's participation in the G20 Speakers' Consultation made important contributions to the success of the meeting.

The four-day G20 Speakers' Consultation, which opened on Thursday, is being attended by senior legislators of the upper and unicameral houses of the G20, as well as delegates from the Netherlands, Spain, Vietnam, Ethiopia and Malawi.

The general objective of the meeting is to promote world food production, security and distribution by engaging in a forward-looking dialogue on the dynamics of current global economics and collaborative strategies.

Source:Xinhua