2017年CRI Chinese think tanks visit US farm to further agricultural cooperation

 

Rick Kimberly (second left), an owner of the Kimberly Farm in Iowa, talks to a delegation¹ of leading Chinese think tanks on his farm on Sunday, June 11,2017. Members of the delegation included Zhao Qizheng (right third), former Director of the Information Office of China's State Council, Guo Weimin (left third), Deputy Director of the Information Office of the State Council, and Wei Jianguo (right first), Vice² Chair of China Center for International Economic Exchanges. [Photo: China Plus/Lv Xiaohong]

Far from their familiar settings of meeting rooms and conference venues³, ten researchers from five different Chinese think tanks found themselves strolling into corn fields and meeting with the owners of the Kimberly Farm in the midwestern state of Iowa.

Their current tour of the US midwest is focused on meeting with the everyday people who serve as the backbone⁴ of China-US trade, particularly in the agricultural sector⁵.

"In previous times, we'd most likely just sit down with people inside an office in a salon-like setting. But that doesn't really help us understand the everyday problems. So with our visit here, I feel like we have found effective ways to address certain issues," said Wei Jianguo, Vice Chair of China Center for International Economic Exchanges and former Deputy Minister of Commerce of China.

Grant Kimberly (left), an owner of the Kimberly Farm in Iowa, talks to Chinese think tank researchers on Sunday, June 11,2017 on his farm. [Photo: China Plus/Lv Xiaohong]

The Kimberly Farm is situated⁶ around 50 kilometers northeast of Iowa's state capital, Des Moines. This is the same farm then-Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited in 2012. The award-winning farm has served as a demonstration⁷ site for Iowa's agriculture sector, receiving visitors from around the world.

The arrival of the Chinese experts has also given farm owner Grant Kimberly an opportunity to learn more about China.

"I'd like to ask a question, too. The next generation of people in agriculture in China – I know that's a difficult lifestyle. But is there a way to continue to attract young people to get into the field of agriculture? Is there programs or goals to do that in the future in China?" asked Kimberly.

Beyond touring the farm, the Chinese experts will also participate in a forum⁸ with their US counterparts at the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines. Topics of discussion there will include China-US relations, bilateral⁹ trade and regional exchanges.

J. Stapleton Roy, a former US Ambassador to China, said the tour of the American heartland is a new step in trying to expand exchanges among Chinese and US think tanks.

"I think it's very important for think tanks to not simply sit in the capital cities or in our major university towns and think in an ivory tower about the relationship. They also need to get out and visit two great countries," said Roy, also Founding Director Emeritus¹⁰ of the Kissinger Institute on China and the US at the Wilson Center in Washington DC.

Roy said stronger ties in agriculture are increasingly important, as it remains¹¹ a critical industry in both China and the US.

1 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

4 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

5 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

6 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

7 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

8 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

9 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

10 emeritus   

adj.名誉退休的

参考例句：

• "Perhaps I can introduce Mr.Lake Kirby,an emeritus professor from Washington University?"请允许我介绍华盛顿大学名誉教授莱克柯尔比先生。
• He will continue as chairman emeritus.他将会继续担任荣誉主席。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。