[Explanation] On October 18th, the 3rd China Heilongjiang International Rice Festival, co-sponsored by the Heilongjiang Provincial People’s Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, opened in Harbin. The theme of this year’s rice festival is "Rice Fragrance World", from Japan, Envoys from South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, and Russia to China and rice experts at home and abroad attended the opening ceremony.

　　After the opening ceremony, 150 varieties of rice from all over the world were made with 150 rice cookers in the tasting exhibition area, and guests from home and abroad were invited to taste it.

　　[Concurrent] Mironov, Representative of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation in China

　　(Rice Festival) It’s very interesting. I met many people. They introduced me to the cultural and agricultural issues of Chinese rice. The rice here is delicious. Wuchang rice is very good. It’s the local rice. Like it, they are all fragrant and delicious.

　　[Explanation] This year’s Rice Festival innovatively launched two sets of rice tasting and tasting of japonica rice and indica rice. A total of 726 rice tasting samples were received from 7 countries including Thailand, Japan, Cambodia, and Myanmar, as well as 22 domestic provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. After authoritative review, the three gold medal samples of the japonica rice group came from Wuchang City, Heilongjiang Province, and the three gold medal samples of the indica rice group came from two agricultural companies in Zhejiang Province and the China Rice Research Institute.

　　[Concurrent] Exhibitor Jin Song

　　I’m from Heilongjiang, so I often eat some Wuchang rice and Qing’an rice. I just tasted Wuchang rice. I think it is indeed the pride of my hometown. I also take this opportunity to hope that the guests will taste more of our Heilongjiang rice, Heilongjiang rice. It is indeed the first.

　　[Concurrent] Exhibitor Dong Chunying

　　I now feel that the rice from the Great Northern Wilderness in Tailai County (Heilongjiang), although it did not enter the gold award, I think it is quite delicious, and the Japanese Koshihikari rice, even though it did not enter the gold award this year, is quite delicious.

　　[Concurrent] Xiang Huangmei, Vice President of Alibaba Group

　　The three gold medals of rice are really delicious. This japonica rice is from the Wuchang in Heilongjiang. The black soil has bred good white rice. It is really good, and the taste is fragrant and sticky.

Alibaba really wants to build more good brands with Heilongjiang, so that our farmers will be more prosperous.

　　[Explanation] It is understood that this International Rice Festival will last until the 22nd of this month. During the event, a series of activities such as the 2020 International Rice Industry Development Forum and project signing will be held, which will focus on "International Rice" and "Brand Rice". "Rice of health", "Rice of science and technology" and other topics, discuss rice on the spot, and launch theme forum activities.

　　Fan Yingjie and Li Danyang report from Harbin, Heilongjiang

Editor in charge: [Fang Jialiang]