CHINA’S FOOD SECURITY IN TIMES OF CRISIS: TRANSFORMATIONS IN IMPORT POLICY AND PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINE’S AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS

Abstract

The study examines China’s food security in the context of contemporary geopolitical and economic crises, focusing on transformations in the country’s agricultural import policy and the prospects for developing Ukraine’s agricultural exports to the Chinese market. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing importance of food security as a component of national security, China’s efforts to strengthen domestic food self-sufficiency, and the simultaneous need to maintain diversified and reliable sources of imported agricultural products. Against this background, Ukraine, with its fertile chernozem soils, substantial agricultural production capacity, developed grain and oilseed sectors, and growing technological potential, may represent a significant prospective partner for China.
The purpose of the study is to assess the agricultural potential of Ukraine in the context of China’s food security, identify promising areas of bilateral agricultural cooperation, analyze the structure of Ukrainian agricultural production and export-import operations, and examine the transformation of China’s food policy under contemporary geopolitical challenges. The research applies general scientific methods, including analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, a systematic approach, comparative and historical analysis, as well as statistical methods.
The results demonstrate that Ukraine retains significant competitive advantages in agricultural production despite the military and geopolitical challenges. These include highly fertile soils, substantial crop yields, scientific developments in plant breeding, and the increasing adoption of precision agriculture, drones, automation, and other innovative technologies. At the same time authors state that, China’s agricultural trade policy is increasingly shaped by the pursuit of food self-sufficiency, diversification of import sources, food reserves, and the reduction of dependence on politically vulnerable suppliers. Special attention is placed on the transformations that have contributed to changes in the scale and structure of Ukrainian agricultural exports to China.
The study concludes that Ukraine’s future role in China’s food security will depend not only on its ability to supply grain and oilseeds but also on the development of higher-value agricultural products, including dairy, meat, processed and organic food. Strengthening Ukraine–China agricultural cooperation requires export diversification, technological modernization, stable and predictable supply chains, and greater flexibility in responding to geopolitical and market transformations. It highlights that such measures could enhance Ukraine’s long-term competitiveness and contribute to a more diversified and resilient food supply system for China.