Introduction of WFP

WFP was established by parallel resolutions of the UN General

Assembly and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) conference in 1961 as the food aid organization of the UN system. Its headquarters is in Rome, Italy.

WFP provides food aid primarily to low income, food-deficit countries, assists in the implementation of economic and social development projects, and works to meet the relief needs of victims of natural and other disasters.

China's relations with WFP

China began to formally participate to WFP meeting in 1979, and had attended its meetings as an observer many times before. China has been member of the Committee on Food Aid Policies and Programmes (CFA) of WFP since 1987, and has been member of the Executive Board since it replaced CFA in 1995. In 1999, China was reelected member of the Executive Board. In 1980, WFP set up its office in Beijing.

In recent years, China has donated USD1.1 million to WFP and RMB350,000 (Chinese yuan) to WFP's office in Beijing annually. From 1981 to Sept. 1999, China has already donated USD13.35 million to WFP. WFP has already approved 61 programmes valued at USD859 million for China. About 30 million poor people in 214 counties of China have benefited directly from these programmes.

Recently, WFP has reduced its aid to China because of the shortage of aid fund in WFP and the development of China's economy. Between 1995 and 1996 alone, WFP has cut its food aid to China by more than 26,000 tons.