*EPF307 11/12/2003
Text: U.S.-China Agriculture Pact To Benefit Research, Official Says
(Agreement will also be good for trade, USDA's Moseley adds) (1150)

An agreement recently signed by the U.S. secretary of agriculture and China's minister of agriculture will spur cooperation in agricultural scientific research as well as in trade, according to a senior U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)official.

In November 7 remarks at Texas A & M University, Deputy Secretary James Moseley said the agreement can also increase the two countries' abilities to address world hunger.

The agreement, which created the Joint Committee on Cooperation in Agriculture, also established a high-level biotechnology working group, Moseley said.

A second cooperative agreement, between USDA and China's Ministry of Water Resources, is expected to be signed sometime in November, Moseley said.

The agreements allow for the exchange of ideas and people "with the conviction that our collaboration is going to foster growth...and progress in our nations and help sustain the planet," Moseley said.

A team of U.S. scientists is scheduled to soon travel to China to research ways to prevent soil erosion, one of the "foremost" agricultural and environmental problems, he said.

Following is the text of Moseley's prepared remarks:

(begin text)

Remarks by Agriculture Deputy Secretary James R. Moseley

At the International Conference on China-U.S. Relations: Past, Present and Future
George Bush Presidential Library Center
Text A & M University College Station, Texas
November 7, 2003

Thank you very much. It's an honor and privilege to be part of this distinguished panel.

I want to thank Dr. Gates for his opening remarks and recognize the hosts and collaborators of this conference, especially the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

Through this forum, you're giving us the opportunity to explore concerns and interests that we share and that in many ways bind our countries and people.

The important work taking place in biotechnology, genomics, and other emerging technologies, for example, has the potential to greatly improve the state of agriculture in both our countries.

As two of the largest agricultural nations in the world, China and the U.S. share not only an opportunity to expand our two-way trade but a future in which cooperation underlies our respective countries security and prosperity.

China is the fifth largest market for U.S. agricultural products and the United States is a major market for China. Agricultural, fish and forestry trade between our countries was almost $5 billion last year.

For these reasons, among many others, we must continue to strengthen our bilateral relationship through active and constructive dialogue in all areas. In simple terms, we have much to learn from each other.

This is an important moment for China-U.S. cooperation. Almost one year ago, in Washington, D.C., Minister Xu, of China's Ministry of Science and Technology, and our Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman signed a Protocol for Cooperation in Agricultural Science and Technology.

This Protocol raises our level of cooperation through collaborative scientific activities, and holds out great hope for agriculture and our goals of eliminating world hunger.

And just over two months ago, we at USDA welcomed Chinese Minister of Agriculture Du to Washington, the first visit to the United States by a Chinese Minister of Agriculture in more than 10 years.

Following frank and open discussions, Minister Xu and Secretary Veneman signed a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] promoting continued bilateral cooperation in scientific research and agricultural trade.

This agreement established a Joint Committee of Cooperation in Agriculture.

The Committee's role is highly significant: it will guide collaborations between USDA and China's Ministry of Agriculture, will oversee working groups between the two entities and elicit the participation of other U.S. and Chinese agencies.

In addition, the MOU established a high-level biotechnology working group as a forum to expand discussions and move forward with cooperative work on science, technology, and trade.

We're very pleased that this group has already had the opportunity to meet several times and will meet again later this year in China.

By outlining our efforts in research, trade and trade capacity-building activities, this agreement extends 25 years of cooperation between our nations into a partnership for the 21st century.

Since 1979, the exchange of more than 1400 Chinese and American agricultural scientists and officials has strengthened our agribusiness and trade connections, supported research for food security, and promoted agricultural education and development.

Working together, we've tackled problems ranging from soil and water conservation and livestock production to sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues and invasive species.

Clearly, we have much to learn from each other. This partnership serves us well for the new century. In the area of energy we've had several bilateral exchanges, with a U.S. delegation attending a conference in Beijing last year to explore cooperation in bio-fuel and ethanol production.

Our Agricultural Research Service is co-sponsoring Joint Centers of Excellence in Soil and Water Conservation and Environmental Protection, and in Grazing land Ecosystem Restoration.

Both nations will bring together some of the best agricultural and environmental scientists in the world to launch a new era in what we hope will be a powerful collaboration to help solve one of the world's foremost agricultural and environmental problems -- that being soil erosion.

We're very pleased that U.S. scientists will visit Yangling and Lanzhou to conduct research under Chinese conditions.

They will benefit greatly from working with Chinese scientists, under soil, climate and geographic conditions not available in the U.S.

It's our strong belief that this interdisciplinary approach -- spanning universities and government entities involved in natural resources research -- will help answer questions for both Chinese and U.S. scientists and multiply our chances for success.

I also want to mention that, in the interest of constantly raising the level of cooperation and knowledge, USDA Under Secretary for Science, Joseph Jen, will travel to China this month to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Water Resources.

In addition, a USDA delegation is in China this week for a symposium on the regulatory process, being held with China's quarantine administration.

This is extremely important, for greater understanding in this area is essential to improve communication and cooperation in future technical exchanges.

If the clock permitted, I could continue with examples of the range and depth of our cooperative history -- in agriculture and in science -- with the people and governments of the United States and China.

More important is what these examples say about us as two great nations working together to exchange the most skilled of our people and the very best of our science, with the conviction that our collaboration is going to foster growth and is going to foster progress in our nations and help sustain the planet that we all call home.

You friendship is highly valued and may it lead to greater understanding and a better world for us all. Thank you.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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