With “food security” becoming a buzzword in China’s poliburo, where does the country turn for its most urgent food needs?

In October 2013, China’s Ministry of Finance announced it would allocate RMB 600 million to boost food output and China’s food security to meet increased domestic consumption, food price inflation, urbanization and the resulting decline in China’s arable land. In July, President Xi Jinping said that only China can solve its food security issues, and must not rely on imports to solve the problems. So how much does China currently rely on imports to sate the appetites of its citizens? Where does the food come from? As of 2012, China’s key food trading partners in the categories of soy, rice, beef, and corn are the US, Brazil, Australia, Argentina and Vietnam.