What national security "password" does the "autumnal equinox" hide
Tomorrow is the Autumn Equinox solar term and the sixth Chinese Farmers Harvest Festival.
The five grains are the destiny of all people and the treasure of the country. Food security is an important area of national security.
Who treats food as a weapon?
The United States has always used food as a weapon for its foreign policy. The former Secretary of Agriculture of the United States once openly declared that "food is a weapon, and the way it is used is to tie countries to us. That way, they will not cause trouble with us." Since the Marshall Plan, the United States' foreign aid has had clear strategic goals and comes with harsh political terms. Since the Cold War, the United States has enacted laws that provide "conditional" food aid to developing countries, grabbing and even smashing rice bowls everywhere.
Some overseas companies and research consulting agencies covet China's grain market, trying every means to steal grain related data and germplasm resources, attempting to control China's grain production at critical moments, disrupt China's grain market, fish in troubled waters, and make huge profits, thereby gaining control of China's "grain bags" and "lifelines".
In recent years, national security agencies have cracked multiple cases related to food security. Among them, some have stolen important national strategic resources such as high-quality animal and plant germplasm from China; Some illegally collect various types of data such as soil, meteorology, and food production; Some use legal means to cover up illegal activities, such as investigation, consultation, and public relations to gather sensitive information related to agriculture and food in China, posing a threat to China's food security and even national security.
Why is food security so important?
Food security can be said to be the greatest of the country.
Having food in hand, not panicking in the heart, and solving the problem of ordinary people eating well is related to the sense of gain, happiness, and security of the general public.
Although China has had consecutive years of abundant grain harvests, it is also important to note that the foundation of food security is still unstable, unable to keep up with the rapid growth of demand and the continuous changes in structure. The increasing production of grain is facing increasing pressure from water, soil resources, and ecological environment.
On August 30th, the fifth meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress reviewed the report of the State Council on ensuring national food security, which pointed out that China's food security still faces a series of risks and challenges, such as the significant impact of natural disasters, the severe situation of farmland protection, the long-term balance between food supply and demand, the continuous tightening of resource and environmental constraints, the shortcomings of scientific and technological innovation capabilities, and the low comparative benefits affecting the enthusiasm of farmers to grow grain. It is necessary to respond properly, implement comprehensive policies, and firmly maintain the bottom line of national food security.
How to ensure food security?
Cultivated land is the lifeblood of food production. "Holding onto 1.8 billion acres of cultivated land" is both a red line and a bottom line, providing fundamental guidance for consolidating the "farming foundation" of the granary of a great country. It is precisely because China protects farmland like giant pandas that every inch of land becomes fertile ground for a bountiful harvest. In 2022, China's grain production reached 1373.1 billion kilograms, with a per capita grain share of 486.1 kilograms, which is higher than the internationally recognized food security line of 400 kilograms. China, with 9% of the world's arable land, nurtures nearly one-fifth of the world's population and ranks first in the world in total grain production, effectively ensuring food security for over 1.4 billion people.
In recent years, China has solidly promoted the sharing, protection, and utilization of germplasm resources. The national level database distributes more than 100000 copies of resources annually, serving over 1500 innovative breeding entities, providing germplasm resource guarantees to support scientific research and breeding, major seed industry achievements, and food security in China.
Standing on the new journey of modernization, we need to always maintain a clear understanding of food security, firmly adhere to the bottom line of "Chinese food, Chinese rice bowl", and truly enable food security, the "great power of the country", to benefit the tiller and the diner.