Yu Kangzhen, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Suematsu Hiroyuki, Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, jointly presided over the Ninth Meeting of the China-Japan Vice Ministerial-Level Dialogue on Agriculture in Beijing on Nov. 21.  

The two ministers briefed each other about agricultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Japan in recent years and the two countries' respective policies in agriculture and rural areas. They also made frank and sincere exchange of views on issues relating to access fishing cooperation and import and export of agricultural products. The two sides agreed to actively implement the China-Japan Fisheries Agreement, advance cooperation for access fishing, and reinforce such cooperation as quality and safety of agricultural products, agricultural science and technology and smart equipment, plant protection, pesticides, prevention and control of cross-border animal diseases such as African swine flu, and protection of new plant species, as well as globally important agricultural heritage.

Yu pointed out that China and Japan have each entered into their own critical moment for development as the current international pattern speeds up its evolution. The two sides should make use of their respective advantages, solve problems during cooperation, further intensify agricultural cooperation, and push agricultural cooperation into a new level. 

Suematsu Hiroyuki agreed with China's suggestions for cooperation and voiced the hope to strengthen exchanges and cooperation and promote trade of agricultural products between the two countries.

(Photo by Tang Hongli, MARA website)