China firmly supports Thailand in following a development path that suits its national conditions, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
Lin made the comments in response to a media query about Thailand's House of Representatives election.
"Thailand held a smooth general election. As Thailand’s close and friendly neighbor, China supports Thailand in following a development path suited to its own national conditions and maintaining stability and development. China stands ready to work with Thailand to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, deepen and substantiate the building of the China-Thailand community with a shared future, and deliver more benefits to the two peoples," he said.
China supports Thailand in following development path tailored to national conditions: spokesman
Global food commodity prices climbed for a second consecutive month in March, driven mainly by higher energy costs linked to escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said in report released on Friday.
The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of globally traded food commodities, averaged 128.5 points in March, up 2.4 percent from February and 1.0 percent above its level a year ago.
According to the report, the FAO Vegetable Oil Index and Sugar Price Index showed the largest increases, up 5.1 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively.
The FAO Cereal Price Index increased by 1.5 percent from the previous month, driven primarily by higher world wheat prices, which rose 4.3 percent.
The FAO Meat Price Index rose by 1.0 percent from the previous month, and the FAO All-Rice Price Index declined by 3.0 percent in March, according to the report.
FAO stated that rising energy and fertilizer prices have been driving up agricultural input costs.
If the conflict stretches beyond 40 days, farmers will have to choose to farm the same with fewer inputs, plant less, or switch to less intensive fertilizer crops, according to FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero.
These choices will hit future yields and shape food supply and commodity prices for the rest of this year and beyond, Torero said.
Global food prices rise for 2nd consecutive month in March amid Middle East conflict: FAO
