A wide variety of equipment with advanced technologies have made debut at the sixth Grain Trading Conference which opened in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, on Friday, offering technological support for food security in the country.
The trading conference captures visitors' attention as more than 3,000 companies showcase their latest products incorporated with cutting-edge technologies.
From the digital cloud platform monitoring of paddy rice fields and automatic AI equipment checking grain condition to smart robots stacking, loading and carrying goods at warehouse, new equipment showcased at the trade conference suggests that the digitalization of the whole industrial chain of grain including the production, purchase, storage, processing and sales processes of grain is becoming a new trend which will contribute to stronger food security of the country.
"Applying digital technologies can enable people to monitor grain conditions, temperature, and pest infestations in real-time, which will help reduce grain spoilage," said Shao Hui, the person in charge of Inspur Electronic Information Industry Co., Ltd., a leading server manufacturer in China.
The application of digital technologies will also reduce excessive waste and loss of grain to offset the cost of post-production loss of grain, Shao said.
High-tech equipment supporting food security debuts at Grain Trading Conference
High-tech equipment debuts at Grain Trading Conference, protector of food security
High-tech equipment debuts at Grain Conference, protector of food security
Iran on Monday publicly rejected a core U.S. demand to cease all uranium enrichment, while projecting a dual-track strategy of guarded diplomatic engagement and reinforced military preparedness.
The moves came as the indirect Iran-US talks in Oman's Muscat last week yielded no breakthrough and regional tensions continued to simmer.
On Monday, Mohammad Eslami, president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said that while Iran could consider diluting its 60-percent enriched uranium, it would only do so if all international sanctions were first lifted.
Eslami also dismissed past proposals to ship the material abroad for safekeeping.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi echoed this line on Monday, reaffirming Tehran's strategy of engaging in talks while refusing to concede on what Iran views as sovereign rights.
Pezeshkian and Araghchi have described the Muscat talks as a "good start" but warned that diplomacy must be based on "respect, not coercion."
In a televised speech on Monday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei urged Iranians to show unity and "disappoint the enemy" ahead of the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, amid rising tensions with the United States.
Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, is set to lead a delegation to visit mediator Oman on Tuesday.
Simultaneously, Iran has signaled a shift toward greater military opacity. Iran's state news agency IRNA said in a report on Sunday that the Defense Ministry has halted all public displays of new weaponry "for security reasons and to safeguard the principle of surprise," a move widely interpreted as preparing for potential conflict.
Positions from the United States and Israel have appeared equally firm. A report on Sunday by Israel's Channel 15 said the United States had privately messaged Iran, seeking Iran's "concessions" in the next round of talks, and expecting "serious and meaningful content."
On Monday, The Jerusalem Post, citing Israeli defense officials, reported that Israel has warned the U.S. it "will strike alone" if Iran crosses its "red lines" on ballistic missiles.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday that he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb 11 in Washington, and will discuss the U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Netanyahu is expected to demand that the U.S. promote the transfer of Iran's enriched uranium out of the country and restrict Iran's ballistic missile capabilities.
Iran rejects zero enrichment, projects dual-track posture amid stalled talks with U.S.
