On December 2nd, the Training Seminar on Information Technology Assisting Rural Revitalization and Human Development in the Asia-Pacific Region Under the Impact of the Pandemic, hosted by the Agricultural Information Institute and the Center for International Agricultural Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, was held in Beijing. Xu Yubo, Director of the International Office of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhao Jia, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Division of the Comprehensive Department of the National Rural Revitalization Administration, Wang Kan, Director of the Cultural Exchange Department of the Culture Communication Center of the China Foreign Languages Bureau, and Hao Weiping, Deputy Director of Department of International Cooperation of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, attended the meeting and delivered speeches. The seminar aims to promote cooperation and experience sharing in applying information technology to agricultural development, especially focusing on women and youth, enhancing the ability of the Asia-Pacific region to respond to food security challenges. Representatives from APEC economies including Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Russia, Peru, China, as well as 11 non-APEC economies, and the ASEAN Secretariat, with more than 100 participants, attended the seminar online.

Wang Xiaobing, Director of the Information Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, and Kanjana Kwanmuang, Director of the Big Data Center of the Ministry of Agriculture of Thailand, delivered keynote speeches on the excellent practices of both countries in digital agricultural innovation and development. Fan Shenggen, Dean of the Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy of China Agricultural University, gave a keynote speech on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and China's response strategies. The opening ceremony was chaired by Nie Fengying, Deputy Executive Director of the Agricultural Information Institute and Deputy Director of the Center for International Agricultural Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. She pointed out that the Agricultural Information Institute and the Center for International Agricultural Research have successfully organized four APEC training seminars, dedicated to promoting exchanges among APEC economies in food security, poverty reduction, rural revitalization, and will continue to strengthen cooperation with various economies in digital agriculture, women's empowerment, and youth innovation.