Agricultural cooperation with China ensures food security in Samoa: PM

The agricultural cooperation with China has plays a crucial role in ensuring food security in Samoa, said the Pacific island nation's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa on Wednesday.

Samoa was among the the first Pacific Island countries to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. The two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2025.

Samoa and China enjoy a close partnership in agriculture, having establishing numerous joint projects and ventures ranging from demonstration farms and pilot areas to training programs.

In an exclusive interview with the China Media Group (CMG), the prime minister emphasized the importance of Samoa's agricultural cooperation with China, saying that it has enabled Samoa to explore diverse approaches to agricultural production.

"Food security, first and foremost, is high priority for any country. So these projects that you alluded to, first and foremost, meet those needs, but also as a productive sector. It is another economic pillar for the country. One of the latest developments that your government is assisting with is to bring in heavy machinery. Because our land is volcanic, so it quite rocky. So to clear large areas of land, we do need to have more heavy agricultural machinery. So the thinking is evolving of how we practice agriculture in different ways, but appropriate to the land that is available to us,"said Mata'afa.

She said that they also aim to strengthen trade in agricultural products with China.

"But I think in terms of increasing trade value adding to agricultural produce, one of the cities down south was interested in breadfruit. Breadfruit doesn't travel very well. So the best way is perhaps frozen or made into flour. For the flour is gluten-free, so it has that element of need and many people now need gluten-free products which I think the assistance of research and practice that is another product that can be value added and enhanced and increase our trading to market like China," said Mata'afa.

Agricultural cooperation with China ensures food security in Samoa: PM

A draft revision to China's Foreign Trade Law was submitted on Monday to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for a second reading, with new provisions to support digital trade development and accelerate the building of a green trade system.

The revised draft adds provisions to promote a cross-border financial services system and advance digital development of foreign trade, including international mutual recognition of digital certificates and electronic signatures to facilitate trade.

On green trade, the revised draft includes provisions to promote the development of product standards, certification and labeling systems related to green trade, and supports and advances the building of a foreign trade talent workforce.

The revised draft adds provisions to advance China's efforts to become a trader of quality, safeguard a fair and just international economic and trade order, and enhance the functions and service capacity of trade promotion platforms.

The revised draft clarifies common modes of services trade and encourages international services trade through cross-border supply, consumption abroad, commercial presence and the movement of natural persons.

In setting legal liabilities, the revised draft takes into account that many foreign trade operators are small and micro businesses. It adjusts provisions on fines by removing minimum fine amounts, allowing regulators to apply penalties more accurately based on case-specific circumstances.

China mulls revision to Foreign Trade Law to boost digital, green trade