On March 27th, 32 ambassadors and diplomatic envoys from 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries visited CAAS for better understanding of agricultural science and technology progress in China. Tang Renjian, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, attended the event and delivered a speech. Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affair, presided over the event; Qiu Xiaoqi, Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Latin American Affairs, Wu Kongming, President of CAAS, Yang Zhenhai, Party Secretary of CAAS, and Sun Tan, Vice President of CAAS participated in the relevant activities.

Minister Tang Renjian pointed out that the sustained and stable development of China's agriculture benefits from scientific and technological progress. China remains committed to strengthening international agricultural science and technology cooperation as an important part in its cooperation with Latin American and the Caribbean countries. Such cooperation have brought China and Latin American and the Caribbean countries well-established mechanisms, fruitful scientific and technological cooperation, and rapidly developing agricultural investment and trade.

He also emphasized that China has entered a new stage in accelerating agricultural modernization and building its strength in agriculture. China is willing to further build consensus with Latin American and the Caribbean countries, to deepen scientific and technological cooperation, and to expand investment and trade thus concertedly promoting agricultural modernization and enhancing agricultural economic and trade cooperation as a whole. China welcome countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region as well as other countries in the world to participate in its agricultural and rural development for shared achievements and opportunities.

Prof. Wu Kongming said that CAAS is committed to promoting the food production capacity and green development of developing countries through agricultural science and technology cooperation, and working with countries around the world to implement the Global Development Initiative. Having established a good cooperative relationship with agricultural research institutions in Latin American and the Caribbean region, CAAS is honored to host this event and is ready to further share its experience and best practices in scientific research with Latin American and the Caribbean countries to support regional food security and promote common development.

The ambassadors and diplomatic envoys highly valued China's achievements in agricultural science and technology, agreed with Minister Tang Renjian and Prof. Wu Kongming's comments and suggestions, and expressed their willingness to work with China to continuously level up agricultural cooperation, especially in agricultural science and technology.

They also visited the new National Crop Gene Bank and the National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Park. Responsible staff from relevant departments of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and CAAS institutions participated in the event and exchanged in-depth views on the future of agricultural science and technology cooperation.