US Media: China Will Lead Future Food Production Systems

How does China’s food security strategy drive the development of new protein technologies?

An article from The Los Angeles Times, March 17, 2023, titled: “China hopes to lead the future of food, and it’s likely to succeed”
In early February this year, I was invited to visit an industrial building in Beijing. What I saw and heard there could fundamentally reshape the global food system. Through the windows of the New Protein Food Technology Innovation Base laboratory, I saw dozens of engineers and biochemists working diligently in a space filled with cell banks, 3D printers, and bioreactors.

In recent years, China has emphasized that food security is a vital foundation of national security, implementing a series of measures to strengthen food security, from increasing strategic grain reserves to the “Clean Plate Campaign.”

Human demand for animal protein has sharply increased, exacerbating risks of land and water resource shortages, while livestock farming itself is a relatively inefficient food production process, requiring several calories of feed to produce one calorie of pork.

China is a major importer of meat and dairy products, which means that unpredictable foreign tariffs could seriously threaten the stability of food supplies. This seems to contradict China’s belief that “the rice bowl of the Chinese people should mainly be filled with Chinese grains.” In other words, it may be time for China to replace imported agricultural products with domestically produced foods. But China has not chosen to recreate another grain-producing region; instead, it is attempting to fundamentally reshape large-scale protein production.

Inside this innovation base in Beijing, I saw displays on the walls showcasing China’s ambitious agricultural planning goals. By responding to the central government’s call to “expand from traditional crops and livestock resources to richer biological resources,” and mastering “biotechnology, bioindustry, and deriving heat and protein from plants, animals, and microbes,” China aims to significantly increase protein output and build a food supply chain that is less vulnerable to external disruptions.

This vision has resonated at the highest levels. This month, thousands of National People’s Congress delegates gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to review the draft of the “14th Five-Year Plan,” which emphasizes “actively developing synthetic biology and expanding new sources of protein,” with many delegates submitting comprehensive action plans from their provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. For example, Shanghai recently announced an industrial development action plan proposing to use biotechnology and artificial intelligence to expand the industrial-scale production of sustainable alternative proteins.

Bruce Friedrich revealed in his new book Meat that in 2023, China’s R&D spending increased by about five times that of Europe and the US, at 8.7%, 1.7%, and 1.6%, respectively. Additionally, China is now the largest public funder of agricultural R&D globally, with investments more than double those of the US, which held the top spot until 2008. Among the top 20 institutions applying for patents in cell-cultured meat worldwide, China holds 8 spots, while the US has only 3.

In November last year, a demonstration project for the industrialization of yeast protein with a capacity of 10,000 tons in Yichang, Hubei Province, officially began operation. This “new protein” is 50% cheaper than whey protein, provides all nine essential amino acids, and can be used in various foods, from plant-based meats to baked goods.

Given China’s heavy investment in the industrialization of new foods, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) believes the US should pay close attention. “Today, the US remains a leader in the global food economy,” the center stated in a report on risk mitigation and seizing opportunities in alternative proteins. The report emphasizes that the US “domestic agricultural strategy, especially in response to rising protein demand, will be key to establishing a competitive advantage in the future global food market.”

So, what is the current issue? This report is already three years old. Based on my observations at agricultural innovation centers and factories across China, even keeping pace with China’s progress now would be a victory. (Author Ryan Hulin is Senior Communications Manager for Asia-Pacific at the nonprofit think tank “Good Food Institute,” translated by Wang Huicong)