The CPC Central Committee Economic Work Conference, the use of the word “security” than last year’s meeting increased tenfold.
In the recently concluded Economic Work Conference of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the use of the word “security” increased tenfold compared to last year’s conference, raising issues such as food security and the “necking” of seeds. While officials say there was another “bumper crop” of grain this year, the scale of grain imports hit a record high, indicating a looming food crisis.
The most important meeting on China’s economy is the annual Economic Work Conference of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, which is particularly crucial this year as Beijing authorities have to adjust their strategy in the face of mounting external pressure and the full impact of the Wuhan pneumonia epidemic, which will be felt next year. The year 2021 is especially significant for the Communist government as it marks the start of the so-called 14th Five-Year Plan and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party.
The Central Economic Work Conference, held in Beijing from December 16 to 18, set out eight key tasks for 2021.
First, to strengthen the national strategic science and technology force.
Second, to enhance the independent and controllable capability of the industrial chain supply chain.
Three is to adhere to the strategic base point of expanding domestic demand.
Fourth is to promote reform and opening up comprehensively.
Five is to solve the problem of seeds and arable land.
Sixth, strengthening anti-monopoly and preventing disorderly expansion of capital.
Seventh, to solve the outstanding problems of housing in big cities.
Eight is to do a good job of carbon peaking and carbon neutral work.
For the fifth key task, the meeting proposed to ensure food security; to strengthen the protection and utilization of germplasm resources, strengthen the construction of seed banks; to carry out seed source “neck” technology research; to firmly guard the red line of 1.8 billion mu of arable land; to build a national food security industry belt.
The word “security” is a high-frequency word in the CPC Central Economic Work Conference, which has increased from 1 time in the CPC Central Economic Work Conference at the end of 2019 to 10 times this year, including science and technology security, food security, supply chain security, energy security and so on. Among them, the word “security” appears 2 times in food-related expressions.
The word “security” is also a high-frequency word in the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee.
Beijing authorities have said in recent years that consumption is the main driver of economic growth, but the communiqué of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee mentions consumption only once, while the word “security” is mentioned 22 times.
The analysis pointed out that the word “security” appeared in a number of important meetings, reflecting Xi Jinping‘s fear and intention to make some changes. This is because the authorities are powerless to boost domestic demand and stimulate consumption to boost economic growth.
With the world on the brink of its worst food crisis in 50 years, food security is a top priority for China’s population of 1.4 billion. The seeds of food and vegetables, which are the “chips” of agriculture, need to be imported in large quantities.
And as the agricultural “chip” of grain and vegetable seeds if cut off, will have a significant impact on agricultural production, to exacerbate the food crisis. Agricultural security, seeds as the cornerstone. Seed is the cornerstone of modern agriculture, but also to ensure the source of national food security.
On September 21, the Chinese official media Xinhua News Agency’s “Outlook” news weekly No. 38 of 2020, said in an article, after visiting Heilongjiang, Henan, Hunan and other large grain provinces, many agricultural officials, farmers and industry experts reflect that many seeds rely heavily on foreign, there are greater risks.
Keshan County in Heilongjiang Province is known as the “hometown of Chinese potato seed potatoes”, has a hundred-year history of cultivation. But the official media found that the county’s potato seeds are mostly foreign seeds, the variety name is “Atlantic” – imported seeds from the United States. Keshan County’s Atlantic variety of potatoes this year planted an area of 30,000 acres, accounting for about one-half of the county’s potato planting area.
In recent years, including the top 10 global seed industry, including more than 70 international seed companies into China. U.S. Pioneer’s selection of hybrid corn seeds “first Yu 335” has been promoted for more than a decade, is the main corn varieties planted in the northeast and north China corn production areas, in some areas has become the first major varieties. Even some breeders laugh at themselves: “We do not need to engage in breeding, a ‘first Yu 335’ is enough.”
The dependence of vegetable seeds on foreign countries is even more serious, peppers, onions, carrots, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli …… the most common vegetables on the tables of the Chinese people, many are foreign seeds grown, and even some basically all rely on imports.
On Dec. 10, Communist Party officials said this year’s grain harvest was “abundant” and 0.9 percent higher than last year.
However, China has continued to purchase foreign grain since the Wuhan pneumonia outbreak began earlier this year. In the first nine months of 2020, China’s imports of barley, corn, sorghum and wheat rose 83.3 percent year-on-year to 20.86 million tons, according to Chinese customs data, and the scale of grain imports for the year is expected to hit an even higher record.
China’s grain production actually fell sharply this year due to the Wuhan pneumonia epidemic and the devastating floods, with some mainland Chinese media estimating a 30 percent reduction in production. However, no specific official figures have been released.
According to a Dec. 4 report by Radio Free Asia, a Chinese grain trader, Mr. Tang, said the lack of food is more likely to trigger social unrest than the inability of college graduates to find jobs and the unemployment of workers: “In the next few years, China’s grain import problem could be a big problem worldwide. China’s food imports from Southeast Asia will surely increase exponentially, which will have a huge impact on the security of Southeast Asia, price stability, and the price of food in Southeast Asia will rise due to China’s massive purchases.”
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