On November 6th, the 16th Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum was successfully held in Shanghai as a concurrent event of the 6th China International Import Expo. The forum was hosted by the State Administration for Market Regulation and co-organized by the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the Development Research Center of the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum. Liu Chunxi, Executive President of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd., attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech.
Liu Chunxi, Executive President of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd., delivered a speech
Distinguished leaders, guests, ladies, and gentlemen,
Good morning! I am delighted to gather with you at the 16th Belt and Road Ecological Agriculture and Food Safety Forum to discuss and exchange ideas on ‘Enhance Brand Competitiveness and Stimulate the Development of the Dairy Industry’.
In the face of increasing uncertainties in global economic development, the dairy industry, as an important sector related to human health, plays a crucial role in creating a better life for humanity through the stability of its industrial and supply chains. As one of the top five global dairy enterprises and the leader in Asia, Yili is committed to its internationalization strategy. We continuously gather global resources to expand and strengthen our network. By deepening technological innovation, accelerating digital transformation, practicing green development, expanding an open and interconnected global health ecosystem, building a resilient global industrial chain, and enhancing the international influence of Chinese brands, we aim to create new heights in the dairy industry. I would like to share Yili’s exploration and practice in brand building from three aspects: innovation, digitalization, and green development.
Firstly, we deepen full-chain technological innovation to solidify the foundation of brand development. The dairy industry spans primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors with a long and unevenly developed chain. To achieve high-quality development across the entire chain, deepening the level of technological innovation is imperative. Over the years, Yili has adhered to an innovation-driven development strategy, constantly gathering global intellectual forces, and expanding our global ‘innovation friends’ time capsule’. We have established 15 innovation and R&D centers in Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia, engaging in full-chain innovative cooperation, and continuously resolving issues of insufficient competitiveness and uneven development in the dairy industry, thereby injecting new energy into enhancing the international influence of Chinese brands.
For instance, in upstream operations, we initiated the ‘Quality Upgrade Project for Superior Cattle Breeds,’ independently cultivating China’s top-performing breeding bulls. In the midstream, we independently designed two ultra-high-temperature instantaneous sterilization machines and three aseptic tanks, promoting the development of customized high-quality equipment. In downstream operations, we broke industry barriers by increasing the retention rate of lactoferrin in room-temperature milk from 10% to over 90%. From grass to cattle and then to milk, we align our innovation chain along the industrial chain, breaking through industry development challenges. Today, Yili has become a leader in invigorating the dairy industry through innovation.
Secondly, we accelerate full-chain digital transformation to boost enterprise development. With the advancement of technologies like artificial intelligence and big data, accelerating digital transformation has become an inevitable choice for business survival and growth. Internally, we established a digital technology center to build a future-oriented digital native organization. Externally, we strengthened collaborations, introducing various digital talents. This not only reduces costs and stimulates intrinsic motivation but also allows us to understand and respond to consumer needs, continuously leveraging digitalization as an industry accelerator and enhancing the developmental efficiency of Chinese brands more comprehensively and deeply.
For example, we have built globally leading intelligent ranches in upstream operations and smart factories in midstream to improve production and management efficiency. In downstream operations, we promote ‘omnichannel, all-scenario, full lifecycle’ digital operations for consumers. Currently, Yili can complete market insights in an average of 3.5 days and interact online with 150 million consumers for new product co-creation. Based on our in-depth exploration and practice in digitalization, Yili, as the only dairy enterprise, was selected for the ‘2023 Annual Case Study of Digital Transformation of Listed Companies’. Moving forward, Yili will continue to offer its experience to the industry's digital transformation, promoting high-quality development.
Thirdly, we lead full-chain green development to build the future of the industry. At the recent third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the nation introduced new measures to promote green development, directing the future towards sustainable development. As a pioneer in green development in China’s dairy industry, Yili has been conducting comprehensive carbon audits within the company since 2010, creating the most extensive carbon audit database in the industry. We achieved our carbon peak in 2012 and plan to realize full industrial chain carbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, we actively promote carbon reduction along the entire chain, leading our industrial chain partners toward a zero-carbon future.
For example, we built ‘Green Intelligent Ranches’ upstream to achieve source carbon reduction. Midstream, we innovated in the efficient use and recycling of resources, increasing the use of clean energy. Downstream, we developed and launched five zero-carbon products, leading new trends in low-carbon consumption. Simultaneously, we initiated the ‘Sustainable Development Corporate Action Initiative’ across industries with several renowned companies and established the ‘Zero-Carbon Alliance’ with 88 global strategic partners. Our global ‘carbon reduction circle of friends’ is continually expanding, sharing carbon reduction achievements, shouldering green responsibilities, and moving towards a zero-carbon future together.
Collaboration leads to collective success. In the future, Yili will continue to uphold the concept of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. We will keep gathering global forces to expand our network and further develop an open, inclusive, and interconnected global health ecosystem. We will build a resilient global industrial chain and, together with our global partners, sketch a blueprint for high-quality development in the dairy industry.
Thank you, everyone!
The theme of the forum is, ‘Deepening the Belt and Road Cooperation in Agriculture and Food: Jointly Creating a Better Life for Humanity.’ Leaders from the State Administration for Market Regulation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, National Health Commission, General Administration of Customs, as well as leaders from Shanghai, Henan, Hainan, and other provincial governments, representatives of provincial market supervision departments, representatives of relevant United Nations organizations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and embassies of South Africa, the Netherlands, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, Tanzania, Senegal, among others, along with over 400 delegates from domestic and international enterprises, participated in the forum. Guests collectively deliberated on agricultural cooperation and food industry development, contributing insights and strategies for the high-quality development of agriculture and food industries in the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting the role of the forum as a platform for policy interpretation.
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative and the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum. Over the past decade, the forum has been successfully held for 15 sessions within the framework of the National Food Safety Publicity Week and the China International Import Expo. The forum has solidly promoted high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, extensively conducted exchanges and cooperation in the agricultural and food industries, played a significant role in the development and safety of agricultural food industries in the countries along the route, and facilitated smooth international trade among the Belt and Road countries.
