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RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0053
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RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0107
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0492
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 1387

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 UN ROME 000028 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAGR EAID UN CH
SUBJECT: CHINA'S GROWING ROLE AT ROME-BASED UN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 
AGENCIES 
 
REF: A. STATE 01052 
     ¶B. USUN ROME 11 
 
¶1.  (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified.  Not for 
dissemination outside the U.S. Government. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary:  In response to Ref A request for information 
on China's emerging role in Africa, USUN Rome notes that in 
recent years China has increased its contribution to, and 
influence at, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as it 
works to ensure its own food security and shore up relationships 
within its region and among developing states.  Beyond assuming 
a larger assessed financial role at FAO, China has partnered 
with the agency to deliver technical agricultural assistance 
programs, training, and small equipment primarily to Africa. 
China is also assuming a growing stature at the World Food 
Program and the International Fund for Agricultural Development 
(Rome's other two UN agencies) as well as with Bioversity 
International (Rome representative of the Consultative Group on 
International Agricultural Research).  Reflecting its emerging 
role at FAO, China will again represent Asia in FAO's Finance 
Committee, and, a Chinese national - formerly Assistant Director 
General for FAO's regional office in Bangkok - was recently 
chosen to fill a newly-created Deputy Director General for 
Operations position.  Looking forward, at the Rome-based UN 
agencies, China will likely continue to quietly increase its 
stature and influence within the organizations while attempting 
to maintain its "developing country" status.  End summary. 
 
 
 
China's Involvement with Rome's UN Agencies 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) China's assessed contributions to the FAO have risen as 
its economy has expanded, increasing from 1.5 percent of the 
total budget in 2003 to 2.7 percent in 2009, with future 
increases projected in the 2012-2013 biennium.  China is now the 
ninth largest contributor to the regular program, behind Canada 
and Spain.  For comparison, the U.S. and Japan combined 
contribute 38.7 percent of the regular budget.  Similarly, 
China's voluntary contributions to the WFP have more than 
tripled  during the same six-year time period.  In 2003, China 
contributed USD 1.25 million; in 2009, USD 3.06 million, making 
China the 36th largest donor to WFP. 
 
¶4. (U) Long before the increase in contributions, China was 
engaging in well-publicized multilateral programs with FAO and 
WFP.  For example, in 1996 FAO created the South-South 
Cooperation (SSCI) Initiative through which developing nations 
provide technical assistance to each other as part of the 
Special Program for Food Security (SPFS).  China, whose 
representatives regularly point to its success in economic 
development and poverty reduction, is one of the largest donors 
to this initiative.  We understand that Chinese experts sent to 
Nigeria from 2003 to 2007 through the SSCI were highly 
influential in the development and implementation of that 
country's National Program for Food Security. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (U) China is also heavily involved in the work of Bioversity 
International (BI), the research center in Rome representing the 
CGIAR.  Bioversity's website prominently features its 
involvement in China, particularly in research on biological 
diversity and nutrition.  At present, though small, China's 
contribution to BI's annual budget is one half that of the 
United States.  BI also has several resident staff in Beijing 
and in provincial governments in the south, looking to enhance 
China's ability to mitigate risks associated with plant 
diseases, crop failures, and nutrition. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) At IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Research) - 
a hybrid UN agency and development bank - during the most recent 
 
UN ROME 00000028  002 OF 003 
 
 
(8th) replenishment totaling USD 1.2 billion, China contributed 
USD 22 million dollars, as compared to the USG's commitment of 
USD 90 million.  Japan provided USD 60 million, while India 
provided USD 25 million, Switzerland provided USD 20 million, 
and Nigeria USD 15 million.  China sits on IFAD's 36-member 
Executive Board as well as the Executive Board's Audit 
Committee.  At the Board, China is reasonably active, mainly 
speaking about its own experience as an IFAD borrower.  China is 
one of IFAD's biggest borrowers, with IFAD providing project 
assistance mainly in China's remote and mountainous regions. 
 
 
 
China in Africa 
 
------------------ 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Not surprisingly, China's aid delivered via the 
Rome-based UN Food Agencies is principally targeted at Africa. 
In 2008, China sent over 500 of its experts in irrigation, 
agronomy, livestock, fisheries, and post-harvest handling to 
specific countries in Africa.  China also transferred 
agricultural technology to African farmers as part of 
"South-South" cooperative programs, including formal 
partnerships with Gabon, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, 
Mauritania, Ethiopia, and Mali.  In one of its most visible 
actions in Rome, in March 2009 China announced a USD 30 million 
trust fund in partnership with FAO to foster agricultural 
advancement in Africa (although other regions will not be 
excluded).  According to the agreement, China will provide USD 
10 million per year over a three-year period to deliver 
technical agricultural assistance programs, training, and small 
equipment primarily, although not exclusively, to Africa. 
 
 
 
FAO Taps Chinese Talent for Top Post 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶8. (SBU) At FAO's Conference in November 2009, Mr. He Changchui, 
a Chinese national, was appointed to the newly created position 
of Deputy Director-General for Operations.  Previously FAO 
Assistant Director General and Regional Representative for Asia 
and the Pacific for six years, Mr. He holds a PhD degree in 
Physical Geography and has published papers and reports in the 
areas of environment and natural resources management, land use 
and land cover studies, remote sensing and GIS applications, and 
regional and national capacity building.  He is considered a 
capable manager, and someone the Director General believes can 
help deliver on approved plans to decentralize additional 
responsibilities for projects and administration to regional 
offices.  While China is technically under-represented among 
professional staff based on assessed contributions to FAO, He's 
selection will no doubt strengthen ties between FAO and Beijing 
(see also ref B). 
 
 
 
China's Development Role:  Help or Hindrance? 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) It remains to be seen whether China's development 
priorities in Africa and elsewhere will be complementary or 
competitive vis-a-vis U.S. work on agricultural development and 
food security.  It is encouraging that in our multilateral work 
at FAO China wishes to avoid overlap and conflict with the U.S. 
It stands to reason that their development agenda can be 
synchronized with the G-20 and others who are working to 
increase agricultural sustainability in the developing world. 
We will continue to work with Chinese colleagues to find areas 
of mutual cooperation on food security issues.  There may also 
be further areas for cooperation with China in WFP and IFAD 
 
UN ROME 00000028  003 OF 003 
 
 
project development, co-financing, and governance. 
GloverMP