Yangling agricultural expo eyes higher level of international cooperation

With a focus on soil health and food security, the 30th China Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Fair will be held from Sept 19 to 23 in the Yangling Demonstration Zone in Shaanxi province, said its organizers during a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Aligning with the outcomes of the recently concluded China-Central Asia Summit and the 15th BRICS Summit, Yangling agricultural expo has taken significant steps in elevating its international profile. This time, it will be welcoming 1,500 foreign companies from 49 countries such as Uzbekistan, Russia, Israel and the Netherlands, as well as over 200 high-level officials from a slew of international organizations, featuring six exchange events under the expo.

Additionally, it will also be the first time that the expo is simultaneously held at an overseas offline venue — an exhibition showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies, farm products, machinery and equipment, as well as biopharmaceuticals will take place at the China (Shaanxi) Commodity Trading Center in Uzbekistan, the guest country of honor of this year's expo.

"The scale, level and international influence of this year's Yangling agricultural expo are all expected to reach a record high. It will inject new momentum into Shaanxi's efforts to develop into an inland hub for reform and opening-up, as well as contribute to the development of China's high-level opening-up," said Shi Gaoling, deputy secretary of the Party working committee of the Yangling Demonstration Area and deputy director of the management committee of the area.

In order to further consolidate international consensus on protecting and taking good use of soil resources, a global soil health forum will be held for the first time in Yangling, from Sept 19-20, as part of the expo's efforts to push forward international cooperation on agricultural industry, said the organizers.

China has gained useful experience during its active exploration of soil health and actual practices. The country would love to take this forum as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges and interactions with the rest of the world, jointly carry out scientific and technological research, and make new contributions to global food security and sustainable agricultural development, said Wei Zhenglin, deputy director-general of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Together with the Shaanxi provincial government, the expo is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the China National Intellectual Property Administration, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. First launched in 1994, the Yangling agricultural expo is one of the most influential agricultural science and technology exhibitions in the country.

lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn