At the invitation of the Ministry of Agriculture of Liberia and FAO representative in Liberia, Chinese Ambassador Zhou Yuxiao attended on October 16, 2007 the World Food Day activities in Montserrado county and made a few remarks there.

Ambassador Zhou said that the theme of the World Food Day---the Right to Food---was well-chosen.  It reflected the great importance attached to the very basic human right by the international community.   

At the same time, he pointed out that the obligation of producing food should be equally emphasized, as the right to food can only be guaranteed when enough food is produced.

He told the audience: "China has a population of 1.3 billion and it still produces an additional population of 10 million every year even with the well-implemented family-planning policy of 'one-child-per-couple' in place. China accounts for 22% of the world's population but possesses only 7% of the world's arable land.  Yet the Chinese farmers have basically managed to produce sufficient food grain to feed the big and growing population.  This represents not only a great contribution to the human right cause of the mankind, but also a successful example of ensuring food security for the world".

Ambassador Zhou expressed his appreciation of Liberian government's determination to revitalize its agricultural sector and China's willingness in sharing its experience with Liberia.  He disclosed that as an additional measure of support to Liberia's agriculture, China would build an agricultural technology demonstration center in Liberia very soon; making it possible to train local agricultural technicians in large numbers.

Ambassador Zhou expressed his confidence in Liberia to achieve self-sufficiency in food in the future, as Liberia has all the necessary conditions for farming, such as vast land resources, plenty of rainfall and sunshine as well as increased attention on agriculture by the government, which are vital factors for agricultural development.  He said that China's annual newly-born population is three times of the entire population of Liberia.  If China can solve the problem of food for its 1.3 billion people plus 10 million every year, Liberia can do it too, he said.