The Conference on Import & Export Food Safety Cooperation of the Belt & Road (2025)takes place in Shanghai. (Photo by Gao Liqiang)
The Conference on Import & Export Food Safety Cooperation of the Belt & Road (2025)takes place in Shanghai. (Photo by Gao Liqiang)
The Conference on Import & Export Food Safety Cooperation of the Belt & Road (2025) was held in Shanghai on October 15. Sun Meijun, Minister of the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), addressed the conference with a keynote speech. Wu Wei, Standing Committee Member of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor of Shanghai, delivered a welcome address. The conference was moderated by Zhao Zenglian, Vice Minister of the GACC.
The conference, themed "Deepen Int'l Cooperation for Shared Trade Safety &Facilitation," reviewed recent achievements in Belt and Road customs food safety collaboration. Participants exchanged new experiences and successes, analyzed emerging food safety challenges, and outlined new strategies for joint governance in this crucial area. Key outcomes included the adoption of the "Shanghai Declaration on Jointly Promoting Trade Facilitation and Sharing Food Safety" and the launch of the "Silk Road Food Safety" information platform. Representatives from 11 countries formally signed the "Charter of the 'Belt and Road' Customs Food Safety Cooperation Mechanism" at the event, bringing the total number of member countries to 18. Additionally, during the conference, China signed market access cooperation documents for agricultural and food products with multiple national representatives.
In her keynote speech, Sun Meijun highlighted the significance progress made across various areas since the "Belt and Road" Customs Food Safety Cooperation Mechanism was established in 2023. She noted that the cooperation mechanism has become more mature and robust, government regulation has become more precise and efficient, agricultural and food products are safer and more reliable, and trade flowsare more convenient and streamlined. This has ensured greater security and stability for the agricultural and food industrial and supply chains, thereby making positive contributions to deepening exchanges and cooperation among relevant countries and expanding economic and trade relations.
Sun stated that China Customs stands ready to work with food safety authorities worldwide. Taking this conference as an opportunity, China Customs aims to practice the Global Governance Initiative, vigorously promote the Silk Road spirit, deepen practical cooperation in food safety governance, and facilitate safer and more convenient trade in agricultural and food products. Sun put forward four initiatives. First, uphold ethical and legal principles: Further consolidate the primary responsibility of food enterprises for quality and safety. Second, embrace scientific regulation: Fully leverage the leading role of international rules and standards. Third, promote joint contribution and co-governance: Ensure shared food safety responsibility across the entire chain, from farm to table. Fourth, champion mutual benefit and win-win outcomes: Enable global consumers to benefit from high-level food safety governance.
According to customs statistics, in the first nine months of this year, food trade between China and Belt and Road partner countries reached 915.24 billion yuan, a 2.5% year-on-year increase. This signifies a broadening path for trade diversification and expanding outcomes in cooperation and development.
Representatives from the food safety authorities and diplomatic missions in China of 21 Belt and Road partner countries, along with delegates as from international organizations, relevant domestic food safety-related authorities, and officials from the Shanghai municipal government attended the conference.
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