Xi Jinping urges Chinese not to waste food

Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed resolutely putting an end to wasting food and called for promoting thrift, Report says, citing RIA Novosti.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the requirement in an instruction.

Calling the issue of food waste shocking and distressing, Xi highlighted the need to maintain a sense of crisis regarding food security, especially amid the fallout of the COVID-19 epidemic, even though China has scored consecutive bumper harvests.

Xi stressed enhancing legislation and supervision, taking adequate measures, and establishing a long-term mechanism to stop food waste.

It is necessary to enhance public awareness of the issue further, effectively cultivate thrifty habits, and foster a social environment where waste is shameful, and thriftiness is applaudable, Xi said.

Xi has attached great importance to food security and repeatedly called for promoting the social custom of practicing thrift and opposing waste. He has emphasized the need to stop food waste on many occasions.

In January 2013, he made an instruction on the issue. He had since given multiple instructions requiring efforts including forceful institutional constraints, strict compliance with systems, intense supervision and inspection, and severe punishment mechanisms to effectively curb various violations of rules, disciplines, and laws regarding the consumption using public funds.