Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has attributed China's development success to three key factors: dedicated leadership, self-discipline, and an unwavering focus on serving the people.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired on Friday, Amarasuriya was asked about her observations of Chinese modernization efforts during her visit to China last year.
"It's almost miraculous when you see how much has been achieved. China's position in the world today, not just as producing goods or manufacturing goods, but innovating and constantly creating and taking a leading [role] on the global stage in almost every sector," she said.
"To me, and I think the lesson that I take back is the commitment of the leadership, the discipline, and also the focus on ensuring that whatever is done benefits people. At the end of the day, the leadership is here to serve. In a way, that was the message of your history, also the revolutionary path. That was ultimately serving the people, making the lives of the people better, and that has worked. That commitment to that principle has really worked. You see that when you're out and about and how people's lives have benefited and improved from that commitment," she said.
The interview was conducted during Amarasuriya's visit to China last October for the Global Women's Summit in Beijing. She noted that China has demonstrated through practice that promoting women's participation in social and economic activities can effectively elevate their status and grant them greater freedom and confidence. She has also expressed optimism about deepening cooperation between Sri Lanka and China in education and healthcare.
Sri Lankan PM hails China's commitment to delivering better life for its people
Farmers across the U.S. Midwest, a major agricultural hub with over 200 million acres of cropland, are facing unprecedented challenges as the cost of essential agricultural inputs, particularly diesel and fertilizer, has surged in recent weeks.
This sharp increase is largely attributed to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which began in late February, and its ripple effects on global markets. The rising expenses are casting a shadow over the upcoming planting season, threatening to erode profitability for many.
At a farm in southern Illinois, preparations for planting season are underway, a process that critically relies on the application of fertilizer. However, the cost of this vital resource has escalated dramatically.
Brian Duncan, a farmer in Illinois, highlighted the global nature of the impact.
"The Strait of Hormuz is very important for transit of fuel and fertilizer, and it's a global market. So even if the shipments that were coming here are not impacted, what we will see is a global rise in price because of that insecurity, and it will impact us here," he said.
With many U.S. farmers locking in fertilizer prices last year, the full impact on farmers is only likely to be felt later in the year, if the conflict continues and fertilizer prices remain high.
Robb Ewoldt, a farmer in the neighboring state of Iowa, echoed these concerns. He noted that while farmers have faced high costs before, the current situation is compounded by depressed commodity prices for crops like soybeans and corn, meaning farmers face the prospect of producing at a loss this year.
"We have higher cost, and that's the biggest thing. We have had our costs be higher in the past, but right now, our commodity prices are a little bit depressed, and so it's making it very challenging to be profitable and make a positive cash flow for the year," said Ewoldt.
As fertilizer prices skyrocket, concerns are growing for many farmers. In the longer term, if input costs including fertilizer remain high, the consequences for farmers could be dire.
"The sentiment is, you know, when I go to meetings, we think, well, there's going to be, some of us aren't going to be here next year because we're not going to be in business," said Ewoldt.
"I'd say it's a time of concern, perhaps a time of survival mode, where we're looking to cut costs, not make any new expenditures, and try to hang on for either a better marketplace dynamic or a significant lowering of our input costs," said Duncan.
As the planting season commences, the inherent optimism of farmers will be put to the test against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility.
Soaring diesel, fertilizer costs hit US farmers
Soaring diesel, fertilizer costs hit US farmers
