We, Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China, gathered at the 26th ASEAN-China Summit in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia, on 6 September 2023,

Recognizing that agriculture is a fundamental sector that bears upon food security, social stability, economic prosperity, and ecological conservation;

Recalling the important consensus on agricultural cooperation achieved in such documents as the ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030, the Joint Statement of the ASEAN-China Special Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, and the ANNEX to the ASEAN-China Plan of Action 2021-2025: Advancing ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership;

Acknowledging the outcomes in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Food and Agriculture Cooperation, the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on Food Security Cooperation, and the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Strengthening Sanitary and Phytosanitary Cooperation;

Recognizing that the region faces pre-existing and emerging challenges, such as population growth, resource constraints, climate change, and post-COVID economic recovery, as well as multiple opportunities, such as the full entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, the ongoing ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0 upgrade negotiations and the booming digital economy;

Calling for deepening mutually-beneficial agricultural cooperation with new visions, new approaches and new measures, and making full use of the multi-functions of agriculture;

Committed to making agriculture a new growth engine of ASEAN-China cooperation, so as to contribute to the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

Have agreed to take the following practical measures:

I. Improving agricultural cooperation mechanisms. We will efficiently operate and gradually optimize our bilateral and multilateral agricultural cooperation mechanisms. We will support the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) and the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) to play a bigger role in ensuring regional food security. We will consider renewing the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Food and Agriculture Cooperation to continue providing policy guidance for deeper ASEAN-China agricultural cooperation.

II. Building more resilient regional agri-food systems. We will increase support for innovation in agricultural science and technology and advanced equipment, improve production, storage and logistics infrastructure, offer better access to agricultural inputs, develop agro-processing industry, and diversify agricultural production while increasing food output, so as to build more resilient agri-food systems in the region.

III. Promoting sustainable, resilient, circular and low-carbon agriculture. We will scale up sustainable and resilient agriculture and low-carbon farming, reduce agrochemical use and recycle agricultural waste, where applicable. We will promote the trade of such agricultural products, and establish traceability systems for them where possible, so as to enhance the competitiveness of green, quality and distinctive products of the region. We will make more efforts to conserve aquatic resources to advance the sustainable development of fisheries.

IV. Developing smart agriculture and digital villages. We will promote the application of the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, cloud computing and other new-generation information technologies in crop production, animal husbandry and fisheries, carry out exchange and cooperation on smart farming, and develop a larger talent pool on smart agriculture, to bridge the urban-rural knowledge. We will expand the cross-border e-commerce of agricultural products, and encourage cooperation between ASEAN and China research institutes to develop research capacity, innovation in green agriculture, digital agriculture and sustainable development.

V. Deepening cooperation on agricultural supply chains. We support making full use of opportunities from the RCEP and ACFTA upgrade negotiations, to ensure unimpeded channels for ASEAN-China agro-trade, expand trade volume and optimize trade structure; increase consultation and dialogues on two-way agricultural investment laws, regulations and policies; and develop innovatively cross-border China-ASEAN supply chain for agro-forestry and fishery towards  new opportunities, new modes and varied channels of connection, in order to foster high-level agro-trade and investment ties and forge more stable agricultural supply chains for the envisioned ASEAN-China common market.

VI. Increasing stakeholders’ participation in the regional agricultural cooperation. We will support the development of micro-, small, and medium-sized agribusinesses and agricultural cooperatives; provide more training for smallholders, women, and young farmers so that they would better participate in and benefit more from regional agricultural cooperation; work closer with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and other UN agencies in facilitating South-South and Triangular cooperation and seeking more financial and technical support to improve food and agriculture governance in the region.