Food security underscored in China's new draft law

BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A draft law on promoting rural vitalization has stipulated more specific and detailed provisions to further ensure China's food security.

The draft law was submitted for a third reading at a regular session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Monday.

Stipulations on guaranteeing national food security have been moved to the general provisions, according to the draft law, which adds provisions on implementing a national strategy of ensuring important agricultural products.

The draft also includes new stipulations on protecting seed security, which specify the need to strengthen the protection and use of agricultural germplasm resources, and the building of germplasm resource bank, as well as to make breakthroughs in breeding technique, among others.

Chinese farmers' harvest festival, which falls on the Autumn Equinox every year, has been written into the draft law.

Lawmakers are expected to deliberate the draft in group discussions during the ongoing session of the NPC Standing Committee, which runs from Monday to Thursday.

China's Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, approved by the NPC in March, also emphasizes the implementation of food security strategy.

The outline calls for efforts to ensure absolute security of grain and the supply of important sideline agricultural products, as well as to promote legislation concerning food security.