Ambassador Guang Defu Attends World Cotton Day Celebration and Delivers Remarks
10 October 2022, China: Ambassador Guang Defu, Permanent Representative of China to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture, was invited to the first World Cotton Day celebration and delivered remarks on Oct. 7, 2022, local time. The event was held by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
On behalf of Tang Renjian, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China (MARA), Ambassador Guang extended warm congratulations on the first World Cotton Day celebration, and spoke very highly of the event. Ambassador Guang stated that as one of the world’s major cash crops, cotton holds a special place in global economic development and plays an important role in ensuring the livelihood of farmers, especially small farmers. FAO’s first World Cotton Day celebration has positive significance for building international consensus to promote the development of the cotton industry and hold hands to cope with global challenges.
Ambassador Guang pointed out that cotton planting was introduced to China more than 2,000 years ago, and China is now a major cotton producer and consumer. China produces nearly a quarter of the world’s cotton and consumes nearly one-third, with its cotton and cotton yarn imports ranking at the top. By improving cotton varieties and promoting cotton pickers and other modern agricultural machinery, China has greatly increased cotton production efficiency and the incomes of cotton growers in recent years.
In conclusion, Ambassador Guang stressed that China is willing to work with FAO and its member states to enhance S&T exchanges and cooperation, and push for the healthy, sound and sustainable development of the global cotton industry, so as to contribute to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In 2021, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to designate Oct. 7 as World Cotton Day, aiming to promote a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the cotton industry. The event this year focused on the sustainable development of the cotton industry and formulated action plans and solutions for it to forge ahead. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Pogan, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Chad Ali Djadda Kampard, agricultural ministers and representatives from Benin, Brazil, Peru and other countries, as well as representatives from other international organizations attended the celebration and delivered remarks. The event witnessed representatives from over 100 countries and international organizations participate either in person or via video link.
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