On the morning of May 17, the 4th China-Central and Eastern European Countries Agriculture Ministers Meeting and the 14th Agricultural Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum were held in Hangzhou. The dialogue and exchanges were built around the theme of “Digitalization of Agriculture – The Engine of Rural Revitalization”. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Changfu gave a keynote speech and Governor Yuan Jiajun delivered a speech.

Han Changfu pointed out that “it is in the common interest of all parties to strengthen agricultural cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries.” Over the past year, countries have jointly implemented a series of pragmatic measures. Agricultural trade has grown rapidly, agricultural investment has accelerated, cooperation has been continuously enriched, trade facilitation has been continuously improved, and agricultural cooperation has achieved remarkable results. 2020 is the year of agricultural multi-cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe. “I advocate that we seize opportunities and meet challenges, work together to strengthen food security, agricultural investment and trade cooperation, promote the development of digital agriculture, share development opportunities, and create a better future.” The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Areas will build higher quality agricultural demonstration parks, increase the frequency of two-way personnel exchanges, strengthen agricultural publicity, deepen the agricultural science and technology cooperation, promote the development of digital agriculture at a higher level, and together with the agricultural departments of various countries, push agricultural cooperation to a broader and higher level.

Yuan Jiajun said that “agricultural transformation and rural revitalization need to fly with digital wings.” At present, Zhejiang is learning the important exposition of General Secretary Xi Jinping on the work of “agriculture, rural areas and farmers”, grasping the historical opportunity of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, conscientiously implementing the “Outline of Digital Rural Development Strategies”, and vigorously carrying out innovation-driven rural revitalization action plan. It is promoting science and technology into the countryside, funds into the countryside, youth back to the countryside, and rural talents returning to the countryside to digitally incite agricultural modernization, optimize the allocation of rural factors, and modernize rural governance. Zhejiang is willing to deepen the pragmatic cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries in agricultural science and technology innovation, agricultural investment and trade, and green agricultural development.

Representatives from the agricultural and rural authorities and associations of 17 countries and provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) from Central and Eastern Europe, including Greece, Albania and Lithuania, attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed and approved the "Hangzhou Joint Declaration of the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Ministers of Agriculture Meeting" and proposed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of innovation and digital technology development, trade and investment, and sustainable agricultural production, especially in the field of agricultural digitization, which fully taps the "digital dividend" and injects momentum into rural revitalization.

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