The global food security situation in 2026 is severe, with climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and supply chain fragmentation intertwined. Uruguay's agricultural cooperation with China provides a model of mutually beneficial cooperation between a small and a large country: Uruguay, leveraging its advantages in naturally grass-fed beef and high-quality soybeans, has achieved rapid export growth, technological upgrades, and economic spillover effects through more than a decade of in-depth cooperation; while China has secured a stable and high-quality supply, expanding its global southern supply chain.
Europe faces pressure to transition to the EU's Green Deal, the Mercosur Agreement (signed in January 2026 but submitted to the European Court of Justice for review by a vote of 334 to 324 (estimated to take 18-24 months), EUDR traceability compliance challenges, and supply chain competition from China's deepening cooperation with Latin America. The Uruguay-China model (market access + technology collaboration + infrastructure synergy + green orientation) offers a valuable lesson for Europe: enhancing resilience through diversified imports and balancing environmental protection and livelihoods through joint innovation. Furthermore, this model inspires Europe to proactively engage in agricultural cooperation with China, achieving technological complementarity, standards alignment, and win-win value chain outcomes.
Chapter 1: The History and Current Status of Agricultural Cooperation between China and Uzbekistan
Agricultural cooperation between China and Uruguay originated from the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1988 and flourished in the 2000s after China joined the WTO, leading to a surge in demand for high-quality protein. Uruguayan beef is known for its natural grass-fed and fully traceable origins, meeting Chinese consumers' preferences for safe and high-end meat. Soybeans, wool, and other agricultural products have also become major export commodities.
Trade Scale and Growth:
In 2025, Uruguay's total exports to China reached US$3.493 billion, accounting for 26% of its total exports, a year-on-year increase of approximately 12%. Beef exports reached US$863 million, a year-on-year increase of 14.2%, accounting for nearly half of Uruguay's total beef exports; soybean exports accounted for a high 86%. Uruguay's total meat exports reached a record high of US$3.25 billion, with beef contributing 83.41%. Historical data shows that between 2006 and 2019, beef exports to China surged from US$3.56 million to US$1.13 billion, accounting for 60% of exports, directly contributing 1.7% to GDP, and driving a 1.79% increase in the service sector through production network spillovers. China has been Uruguay's largest trading partner for many consecutive years and will maintain this position in 2025.
Key Milestones and Latest Developments in 2026:
2018: Uruguay became the first Mercosur country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Belt and Road cooperation.
November 2023: A specific cooperation plan for the Belt and Road Initiative was signed, with agriculture listed as a priority area.
May 2025: The third meeting of the China-Uruguay Joint Agricultural Committee was held in Changchun, Jilin Province, focusing on promoting two major projects: "Beef Cattle Germplasm Resource Cooperation" and "China-Uruguay Demonstration Farms."
November 2025: Qingdao Agricultural University, the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) of Uruguay, and the private company Reevolution jointly established the "Joint Laboratory for Forage Agriculture," located at the INIA Las Brujas experimental station, focusing on forage genetic improvement, plant biotechnology, digital agriculture (sensors, satellite imagery, IoT), and beef cattle genetic improvement (in vitro fertilization, frozen embryos).
Chapter 2: Cooperation Models and Mechanism Innovation
China-Uruguay agricultural cooperation adopts a hybrid model of "government guidance, market dominance, and multi-party participation," a mature and efficient mechanism that differs from traditional aid or simple trade.
High-level leadership and multilateral frameworks: Agriculture has been repeatedly listed as a priority area in meetings between the two heads of state. Relying on platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the China-CELAC Forum, the China-Uruguay Intergovernmental Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation (the fifth meeting implemented the joint laboratory), and the Joint Agricultural Committee, long-term planning and implementation are ensured.
Joint R&D and technology transfer are core: The "joint laboratory + demonstration farm" model is a highlight. The joint laboratory for forage agriculture integrates China's leading digital agriculture technologies (IoT, satellite remote sensing, precision irrigation) with Uruguay's abundant pasture resources, aiming to create a sustainable forage production research center, demonstration base, talent training, and industry incubation base; the joint laboratory for sustainable beef cattle production and breeding focuses on germplasm resource protection and genetic improvement to enhance the quality and yield of Uruguayan beef; the China-Uruguay demonstration farms apply Chinese precision agriculture and biotechnology for demonstration and promotion; and projects such as the soybean joint laboratory and bio-nanopharmaceuticals (agricultural medicine) continue to advance. These projects emphasize "technology neutrality and open standards," aligning with Uruguay's digital principles.
Mutual Recognition of Standards and Trade Facilitation: Establishing an SPS (Standardized Physical Storage) technology dialogue mechanism to address common challenges in sanitary and phytosanitary procedures; simplifying procedures for meat export agreements; and reducing logistics costs and risks through cooperation in customs, taxation, and emergency management. Uruguay's beef traceability system is seamlessly integrated with Chinese customs, ensuring food safety and compliance.
Investment and Infrastructure Collaboration: Chinese enterprises participate in port dredging, railway, and cold chain logistics construction, helping Uruguay shift from a "raw material export" model to a high-value-added "processing + export" model. The Memorandum of Understanding on Industrial Investment Cooperation encourages two-way investment and promotes industrial upgrading.
South-South Cooperation and Humanistic Inclusivity: Supporting the CELAC 2030 Food Security Plan; youth scientist exchange programs, technology transfer, and training benefit smallholder farmers and grassroots workers; and cultural exchanges enhance mutual trust.
Chapter 3: Cooperation Achievements, Experiences, and Lessons Learned
Achievements for Uruguay: Export-driven economic growth; beef exports to China reached a record high of US$863 million in 2025, driving foreign exchange earnings and structural transformation of the service sector (logistics, finance, processing); technological cooperation significantly improved local production capacity; joint laboratories helped master advanced technologies such as digital ranch management and embryo transfer, reducing post-harvest losses (global average 14%) and enhancing food security and resilience; the grass-fed model, combined with Chinese green technology, meets high standards such as the EU DR, strengthening the international competitiveness of the "natural and healthy" brand.
Achievements for China: Diversified agricultural product supply, reducing dependence on a single market (against the backdrop of US-China trade friction); access to high-quality, low-antibiotic-residue beef and soybeans, supporting domestic consumption upgrades, feed safety, and livestock development; technology transfer facilitated Chinese enterprises' "going global" strategy, accumulating South-South cooperation experience and promoting the "going global" strategy for agriculture.
Global Implications and Lessons Learned: This demonstrates that small and medium-sized countries can achieve "leapfrog development" through cooperation with major powers; it provides a replicable three-pronged model of "market access + technology empowerment + infrastructure linkage"; and it promotes innovation in global agricultural governance, such as the SPS dialogue mechanism, post-harvest loss reduction technologies, and South-South joint laboratories, which can be extended to regions like Africa and Southeast Asia.
Key Lessons Learned: Political mutual trust and high-level leadership are the foundation of cooperation; resource complementarity (Uruguay's natural endowments + China's market size and technology) is a prerequisite; a complete industrial chain layout is superior to single-trade, avoiding the "resource curse"; sustainable development is embedded at the core, with equal emphasis on green transformation and inclusive growth; and the mechanism is flexible, balancing bilateral pragmatism with multilateral platform collaboration.
Chapter 4: Real Challenges Facing European Agriculture
By 2026, EU agriculture will be mired in multiple predicaments:
Pressure of Green Transition:The Farm to Fork strategy requires a 50% reduction in chemical pesticides and a 20% reduction in fertilizer use by 2030. Soaring costs and potential yield declines have sparked large-scale protests by farmers in countries like France and Poland, highlighting income instability and livelihood concerns.
Import Dependence and Increased Competition: The EU imports large quantities of Latin American beef and soybeans. Although the Mercosur Agreement is signed in January 2026, the European Parliament narrowly passed a resolution (334:324) to submit it to the European Court of Justice for legal review (the process could take 18-24 months), attaching agricultural safeguards (which could suspend tariff preferences), reflecting rising protectionism. China's infrastructure investment in Latin America (such as ports and logistics) is accelerating the flow of agricultural products to Asia, squeezing the resilience of European supply chains.
Geopolitical Pressure:Amid the US-China rivalry, China is deepening agricultural cooperation with Latin America (Uruguayan beef, Brazilian soybeans). If the EU continues to be passive, it will lose influence in the global south. The Russia-Ukraine conflict exposes the fragility of energy and food supply chains.
Internal governance challenges: There are significant differences in interests among the 27 countries (major agricultural countries such as France and Italy strongly oppose Mercosur, while industrialized countries such as Germany focus more on overall trade); the EUDR (no deforestation regulations) compliance costs are high, which is difficult for small farmers in Latin America to afford and may trigger new trade frictions.
Chapter 5 Specific Implications
Six Dimensions (Promoting Sino-European Agricultural Cooperation): The Uruguay-China model injects new impetus into Sino-European agricultural cooperation. Europe can learn from its experience, shifting from defensive "risk mitigation" to proactive "coopetition and win-win" cooperation, and engaging in deeper collaboration with China.
Supply Chain Resilience and Diversification Strategy: Drawing on China's experience, China and the EU can establish a joint grain reserve mechanism and demonstration farm projects; expand EU exports of dairy products, wine, and pork to China, and Chinese exports of tea, organic fruits, and specialty agricultural products to Europe, forming an "import-cooperation-re-import" closed loop to enhance two-way resilience.
Joint Innovation and Technology Transfer Model: Replicate the "joint laboratory + demonstration farm" model, expanding the Sino-European "Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology" (FAB) flagship project to include the "Sino-European Joint Laboratory for Precision Agriculture" and "Sustainable Livestock Demonstration Farm"; Europe can leverage China's leading advantages in IoT, satellite remote sensing, and agricultural robots, while China can learn from the EU's organic certification and biodiversity conservation standards; jointly develop low-carbon pastures, precision fertilization, and climate adaptation technologies; and establish a Sino-European Agricultural Innovation Fund to support joint research and development and exchanges among young scientists.
Standards Mutual Recognition and Compliance Capacity Building: Drawing on the Uruguayan-Chinese traceability cooperation, promote joint certification of "EUDR + Chinese Green Standards"; the EU provides funding and technology to help Chinese smallholder farmers establish blockchain traceability and satellite monitoring systems to reduce compliance costs; China opens up more high-end market access; establish a permanent Sino-EU SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) dialogue mechanism to proactively resolve trade barriers.
Infrastructure and Value Chain Upgrading: Align with the EU's "Global Gateway" strategy and the "Belt and Road" Initiative to jointly build green cold chain, smart logistics, and rural digital infrastructure; the EU increases investment in China, and Chinese companies participate in EU rural transformation; help both sides shift from raw material exports to high value-added processing (such as EU dairy product processing and Chinese technology cooperation exports) to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth: Align with the EU Green Deal and China's dual carbon targets, jointly promote carbon sink ranches, photovoltaic + agriculture models, and water-saving and drought-resistant technologies to benefit smallholder farmers and grassroots communities; drawing on Uruguay's economic spillover, add "structural transformation clauses" to trade agreements to support the upgrading of rural service industries and employment.
Geostrategy and Multilateral Governance: Faced with global uncertainties, China and the EU can jointly promote WTO agricultural reform and FAO South-South cooperation; drawing on China and Uzbekistan's support for CELAC 2030, they can launch the "China-EU 2030 Sustainable Agriculture Alliance," covering areas such as climate adaptation, water resource management, and biotechnology.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The agricultural cooperation between Uruguay and China vividly demonstrates that countries of different sizes and at different stages of development can achieve common prosperity through complementary advantages and mutual benefit. The core of this model lies in market-driven development based on political mutual trust, technological empowerment, infrastructure synergy, and the integration of green and sustainable development, providing Europe with valuable lessons and action paths. Under the dual pressures of green transformation and food security, Europe should not continue to adhere to defensive protectionism and unilateral rules, but should proactively embrace a "cooperative diversification" strategy: learning from the Uruguay-China experience and conducting in-depth agricultural cooperation with China. Through joint innovation laboratories, standards mutual recognition mechanisms, and value chain upgrading projects, China and Europe can achieve technological complementarity (Chinese digital agriculture + EU organic standards), enhanced supply chain resilience, and guaranteed farmer livelihoods, while also jointly amplifying their voices in global agricultural governance and promoting WTO reform and the implementation of multilateral food security initiatives.
Looking ahead, 2026 is a critical window of opportunity. The Mercosur Agreement review is delayed, China's influence in Latin America continues to expand, and the opportunity to upgrade the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership coexists. If the EU adjusts its stance in a timely manner and deepens cooperation with China in areas such as precision agriculture, green transformation, and digital empowerment, it will not only effectively alleviate protests from domestic farmers and enhance import diversification and resilience, but also bring tangible benefits to hundreds of millions of farmers and play a leading role in addressing climate change and ensuring global food security. Sino-EU agricultural cooperation is not a zero-sum game, but rather a dual-engine driven approach: Europe possesses advanced standards, technologies, and brands, while China boasts a vast market and rapidly iterating digital agriculture and green production capacity. Only by working together can agriculture truly become a bond connecting civilizations, promoting peace, and benefiting humanity, injecting strong momentum into building a fair and sustainable international order and a community with a shared future for mankind. Action is urgent; China and the EU should seize the opportunity and jointly create a new chapter in agricultural cooperation.