Chinanews.com, Beijing, May 24 (Guo Chaokai and Xing Chong) issued an article in memory of academician Yuan Longping on people from all walks of life overseas. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference on the 24th that this fully demonstrates Yuan Longping’s commitment to the hybrid rice industry in China and the world. His contributions are widely recognized and highly praised, and his death is a huge loss for China and the world.
Some reporters have asked questions. In the past few days, the official Weibo of the United Nations, the Director-General of FAO, and the chairman of the World Food Prize Foundation have issued articles in memory of Academician Yuan Longping. Overseas media and netizens have expressed their memorials in various ways, thanking him for promoting food security and poverty eradication. Outstanding contribution to the benefit of the people.
What's China's comment on this?
Zhao Lijian said that after the death of Yuan Longping, a well-known Chinese scientist, "Republic Medal" winner, and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, all walks of life at home and abroad expressed deep condolences, which fully shows that his contribution to the hybrid rice industry in China and the world is widely recognized and highly praised.
His passing is a great loss to China and the world, and he will always be cherished and remembered by people.
He pointed out that at present, the annual area of hybrid rice planted in China has reached 240 million mu, and the annual increase in grain production alone can feed 80 million people.
China uses less than 9% of the world's arable land, feeds nearly one-fifth of the world's population, and holds its job firmly in its own hands.
This is inseparable from the hard work of Academician Yuan Longping.
Zhao Lijian said: “While increasing our own grain production and income, we have always upheld an open and responsible attitude, and generously shared hybrid rice technology to all countries in the world.” The export of hybrid rice technology in China is almost synchronized with the opening up to the outside world.
In 1979, China provided hybrid rice seeds for the first time.
40 years later, Chinese hybrid rice has been promoted in dozens of countries and regions in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, with an annual planting area of 8 million hectares.
In the past 40 years, Academician Yuan Longping and his researchers have also been to India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the United States and other countries to provide suggestions and consultations for rice researchers, and provide more than 80 developing countries through international training courses. More than 14,000 hybrid rice professional and technical personnel have been trained.
The above-mentioned efforts have made great contributions to solving the problems of hunger and poverty in the world. The golden and heavy rice has allowed countless people to enjoy the happiness of food and see the hope of life.
"Academician Yuan Longping belongs not only to China, but also to the world. His lifelong dream is to make hybrid rice cover the world so that everyone does not go hungry." Zhao Lijian said that China has created a human miracle of food self-sufficiency, and has the willingness and ability to continue to do so. Make greater contributions to global food security governance. We believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, the dream of Academician Yuan Longping will become a reality, and hunger and poverty will eventually disappear from the earth. (Finish)