China has unveiled its annual rural policy blueprint, the State Council’s “No. 1 document,” which focuses on ensuring food security amid trade tensions, economic slowdown, and climate challenges. The document outlines plans to stabilize grain and oilseed output, diversify agricultural imports, and increase support for farmers.
The push for diversification is a significant aspect of the new policy. The term “diversification” is mentioned three times, up from once in the previous year’s document. This indicates China’s intention to expand oilseed supplies, diversify the food system, and broaden agricultural imports. Even Rogers Pay, director at Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China, suggests that this increased emphasis on diversification is a strategy to make China’s food system more secure and resilient against potential shocks such as natural disasters or trade wars.
China’s reliance on U.S. soybeans has significantly decreased, from 41% in 2016 to 15% in 2025, as the country has been boosting domestic production to bolster food security. The new plan shifts the focus from consolidating expansion gains to consolidating and enhancing production capacity, signaling a greater emphasis on yield and quality rather than planting area.
The document also outlines measures to boost agricultural innovation. These include strengthening research platforms, backing leading agri-tech firms, advancing industrialized biotech cultivation, integrating AI with farming, and cultivating specialized agricultural talent. China plans to foster internationally competitive agricultural enterprises, support the expansion of key and specialty agricultural exports, crack down on agricultural product smuggling, and engage in global agricultural and food governance.
In the meat sector, China aims to strengthen pork production management, support beef and dairy sectors, and promote dairy consumption. The sector has been hit by oversupply and low prices, squeezing producers’ margins. The government has rolled out measures to stabilize the industry, including a quota system on beef imports and tariffs on EU dairy products.
The new policy blueprint is a comprehensive response to the challenges China faces in ensuring food security. It underscores the country’s commitment to self-sufficiency, innovation, and resilience in the face of global trade tensions and climate challenges.