High-level meetings in Beijing reinforce cooperation in agricultural trade, technology transfer, aquaculture and poverty reduction as China deepens global partnerships
China has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperation with Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire and Jamaica following a series of high-level bilateral meetings held in Beijing on the sidelines of the 2026 Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum, underscoring the growing role of agriculture in the country’s international development and diplomatic agenda.
Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhang Zhili met separately with Martha Carvajalino, Colombia’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Logboh Myss Belmonde Dogo, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister for National Cohesion, Solidarity and the Fight against Poverty; and Floyd Green, Jamaica’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, to discuss expanded collaboration across agricultural production, technology exchange, trade, rural development and food security.
The discussions highlighted China’s broader strategy of leveraging agricultural partnerships as a vehicle for economic development, poverty reduction and sustainable growth across emerging markets.
During talks with Colombia, Vice Minister Zhang emphasized the importance of fully utilizing the China–Colombia Joint Committee on Agricultural Cooperation and accelerating implementation of the Plan on Enhancing Agricultural Cooperation (2024–2028). The two countries agreed to deepen collaboration in agricultural mechanization, investment, trade and scientific innovation, with the objective of elevating bilateral agricultural ties and supporting long-term sectoral growth.
Zhang noted that enhanced cooperation could help unlock new opportunities for technology transfer and productivity improvements while creating stronger commercial linkages between the two agricultural economies.
Minister Carvajalino praised China’s achievements in agricultural modernization and rural transformation, expressing Colombia’s intention to strengthen the quality and competitiveness of its agricultural exports to the Chinese market. She also highlighted Colombia’s interest in broadening cooperation across multiple agricultural sectors to support national food security objectives and improve grain self-sufficiency.
In discussions with Côte d’Ivoire, Zhang pointed to the strong momentum underpinning the countries’ strategic partnership and highlighted agriculture as one of the most productive areas of bilateral engagement. He outlined plans to expand personnel exchanges and cooperation in agricultural science, technology and trade, with particular focus on strategic commodities including rice, natural rubber and cocoa.
According to Zhang, deeper collaboration in these sectors could contribute to value-chain upgrading, rural economic development and poverty alleviation efforts in Côte d’Ivoire.
Minister Dogo expressed appreciation for China’s long-standing support for agricultural development and poverty reduction initiatives in the West African nation. She indicated Côte d’Ivoire’s interest in expanding policy dialogue and technical cooperation under the framework of the Global Partnership for Poverty Alleviation and Development (GPPAD), while drawing on China’s experience in rural revitalization, agricultural productivity enhancement and poverty eradication.
The meeting with Jamaica focused on strengthening agricultural and fisheries cooperation through institutional mechanisms and technical collaboration. Zhang proposed the early establishment of the China–Jamaica Joint Committee on Agriculture, describing it as an important platform for expanding bilateral engagement.
He identified aquaculture, agricultural technology exchange and sustainable farming practices as priority areas for future cooperation, emphasizing the potential for mutual learning and practical collaboration to support Jamaica’s agricultural development objectives.
Minister Green welcomed the proposals and reaffirmed Jamaica’s interest in deepening engagement with China across agricultural machinery, aquaculture development, technical training and human resource capacity building. He expressed support for convening a joint committee meeting in the near future to advance cooperation and facilitate knowledge exchange between the two countries.
The series of meetings reflects China’s increasingly active role in international agricultural diplomacy as governments seek collaborative solutions to shared challenges including food security, rural development, climate resilience and sustainable agricultural transformation.
By expanding partnerships across Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean, China continues to position agricultural cooperation as a key pillar of its broader development engagement strategy, combining technology transfer, trade facilitation, capacity building and poverty reduction initiatives to strengthen long-term economic and food-system resilience among partner nations.
