April 17, 2009
USDA secretary meets with high-level Chinese government official
US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack met Thursday with Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong, as part of the first high-level visit of a Chinese government official to the US during the Obama presidency.
Liu, who controls several Chinese ministries including agriculture, met with Vilsack for about an hour "to discuss bilateral cooperation in agricultural science and technology," USDA spokeswoman Sally Klusaritz said. "We have a longstanding relationship with China in science and technology and this was an opportunity for the Chinese government to establish a working relationship with Secretary Vilsack."
Vilsack, after the meeting, left for Italy to attend a G8 summit. While there, according to a USDA statement released Thursday, he will "hold bilateral meetings" with representatives of several countries, including China's Vice Minister of Agriculture Niu Dun.
Vilsack is also scheduled to meet with agriculture ministers from Japan, Egypt and Russia.
