In recent years, beef consumption in China has risen rapidly, and beef has become an important part of meat consumption for Chinese residents. The beef trade between China and Brazil has also developed rapidly. In Brazil, the expansion of beef production not only increases the income of local cattle ranchers, but also challenges the protection of local tropical rainforests, causing a series of environmental problems, including biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, etc. It has become a consensus of the international society to reduce the risk of deforestation by restricting production areas and refusing to purchase deforestation beef. To mitigate the potential negative externalities caused by Brazil-China beef trade and protect Amazon tropical rainforest, it is necessary to build a bilateral cooperation mechanism between China and Brazil.

On April 10, 2021, the Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy (AGFEP) held a round table forum on “Measures against Tropical Deforestation in Brazil-China Beef Supply Chain” on the east campus of China Agricultural University. The meeting was held by Professor Si Wei, Dean of College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University.

Prof. Fan, Shenggen, dean of AGFEP and Chair Professor of China Agricultural University, first introduced the project. Professor Fan pointed out that the current food system is facing numerous challenges including climate change and degradation of natural resources. Therefore, reducing carbon emissions is one of the missions of food system transformation. Under the context of economic globalization, it is of great significance to promote the protection of natural resources from the import side, so as to build a community of shared future for all mankind and jointly protect the world's biodiversity.

Zhu, Chunquan, general director of the Rainforest Alliance of the World Economic Forum, said that in recent years, human activities have brought unprecedented threats to the global rainforests. Although the deforestation of Amazon has alleviated in recent years with the joint efforts made by all parties concerned, the deforestation rate is still high. The action plan proposed by this project will help China to achieve the goal of "carbon neutrality" in 2060 and play a positive role in the construction of a community of shared future for all mankind.

Dr. Chen, Yuquan, assistant professor of College of Economics and Management, China Agricultural University, reported the results of the project report in details. A questionnaire survey was conducted by the project team with China Meat Association and top five beef importers in China. On the basis of survey, relevant policy recommendations and industry action plans are made.

Subsequently, experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from several policy research institutes, importing companies and academic institutes participated in the round table discussion, which provided valuable suggestions for the proposed action plan’s promotion.

Project members include Shenggen Fan, Wei Si, Wenge Fu, Yuquan Chen, Ting Meng, Xiaolong Feng, Zongyi Wu, Fuli Tan, Hao Fan, Lijie Ni, Simin Cheng, Qiutong Jin, etc.