Xi operates agricultural machinery accompanied by farmer owner Kimberley

On February 16 local time, visiting Vice President Xi Jinping visited the Kimberley farm in Iowa accompanied by US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Iowa State Governor Terry Branstad and others.

Xi reached out to local farmers during his visit to the US. Holding cordial talks with the farm owner, he asked detailed questions on the production, operation, sales, technological R&D, talent training, ecological protection of the farm and life and income of the farmers. He also shared in-depth opinions on the agricultural cooperation and cooperation at local levels between the two countries. Accompanied by the farmer owner and his wife, Xi then inspected the barn and visited and operated the combine harvesters, planters, tractors and other large agricultural machinery appliances on the farm.

Xi holds cordial talks with farm owner Kimberley and his family

Xi was very glad to be a guest of the Kimberley farm. He said that Iowa is well known as the "granary of the US" and has the largest production of corn, soybean, wheat, pork and egg in the US. There is an old saying in China that "food is what matters to the people". China always gives top priority to developing the agriculture, benefiting the rural area, increasing the income of farmers and ensuring the adequate supply of food to the 1.3 billion of Chinese people. China feeds nearly 21% of world population with less than 9% of the total arable land in the world.

He pointed out that the US has a small population but a large territory. The vast agricultural area is suitable for large scale operation and production. It has relatively high degree of agricultural mechanization, specialization and integration. China and the US have strong complementarities in the agricultural sector. In the first decade of this century, the bilateral agricultural trade increased by more than 20% per annum. China has steadily solved the problem of feeding a population of 1.34 billion and become the largest export market of US farm products. The agricultural departments of the two countries just held a high-level seminar and signed the China-US Agricultural Strategic Cooperation Plan which clearly defines the next-stage cooperation objectives and priority areas. He hopes Iowa seizes the opportunity to continue to play a leading role in China-US agricultural cooperation. He wishes a better harvest of Kimberley farm this year.