Bilateral meeting with Mr Bateer, Executive Vice Governor of the Hainan Provincial Government, China

Rome – The FAO Director-General, Dr QU Dongyu, met with Mr Bateer, Executive Vice Governor of the Hainan Provincial Government, China, to discuss strengthening cooperation between FAO and Hainan Province in advancing sustainable agricultural development.

The Director-General highlighted FAO’s willingness to enhance collaboration with Hainan, particularly in the areas of tropical and subtropical agriculture, efficient and high-value tropical crop production, agricultural science and technology innovation, and biodiversity conservation. He acknowledged the unique advantages of Hainan’s agricultural science and technology platforms, tropical crop research institutions, and the province’s role as a hub for innovation and digital agriculture. He also emphasized the importance of protecting and promoting agricultural heritage systems and branding as tools to strengthen rural livelihoods and cultural identity.

The Executive Vice Governor presented Hainan’s progress in promoting tropical agriculture, fisheries, and integrated rural development, stressing the province’s commitment to agricultural modernization and sustainable development. He underlined Hainan’s efforts in building platforms to foster innovation, international cooperation, and new models of agricultural modernization. He also noted Hainan’s experience in combining rural revitalization with poverty reduction.

Both sides agreed to explore opportunities for deeper cooperation in mutually identified priority areas, including technological innovation, tropical agricultural research, digital agriculture, biodiversity protection, fisheries development, branding of agricultural heritage, and international agricultural collaboration. The Director-General encouraged the Hainan Province to actively contribute to the global agricultural dialogue and share its experience with other tropical ecological zones.