China has always been an active part of global food security governance, firmly supporting the multilateral trading system, and implementing the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the diplomat said at the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council.

 

Developed countries and relevant UN agencies should provide developing countries with financial and technical assistance to strengthen their food production, so as to equally realize the right to food, the China representative said in an interactive dialogue with UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food Hilal Elver.

 

The delegate highlighted Elver's concerns about inequalities in the global food system, which make developing countries and vulnerable groups bear the brunt.

 

The delegate said that the United States continues to ignore economic, social and cultural rights, especially the right to food, adding that the country has introduced aggressive roll-backs and cuts to its supplemental nutrition assistance program, thus threatening national food security.

 

The diplomat observed the gender discrimination in the U.S. government's global hunger and food security initiative "Feed the Future," and said that economic sanctions and austerity measures adopted by the United States and the European Union could hamper the realization of the right to food.

 

The diplomat pointed out that people are the foundation of a country and food is the primary need of the people. As food decides national prosperity and people's wellbeing, the protection of citizens' right to food is the basis for them to enjoy other human rights.

 

Food security is an essential guarantee for world peace and development, and a significant foundation for a community with a shared future for mankind, the representative said.

 

As the global food security is facing severe challenges with more than 800 million people in starvation, protectionism and unilateralism cast shadows on the international food trade, the representative said, adding that there is still a long way to go to reach the sustainable development goals.