From Self-Sufficiency to Self-Supporting: China`s Food Security under Overseas Farmland Investment and International Norms

Abstract

Current studies on China`s food security are largely based on the perspective of grain self-sufficiency, and discuss whether China can feed itself at the national level through its grain production. As a result, the Chinese grain self-sufficiency policy of maintaining a self-sufficiency rate of above 95% tends to be regarded as a benchmark for evaluating China`s food security status. Accordingly, China`s grain demand will be largely supported by Chinese-owned farmlands both locally and overseas, resulting in a new scenario for China`s grain policy, that of being self-supporting. This paper argues that China`s adjustment in terms of its food security policy not only further secures its grain supply, but also influences international norms. An important finding of this paper is China`s reliance on government-supported companies and bilateral agreements, not only to safeguard production stemming from investments, but also to influence the regional food security status.