On October 31st, the FAO Global Symposium on Sustainable Fall Armyworm Management, jointly organized by CAAS and FAO, and hosted by the Institute of Plant Protection, CAAS (IPPCAAS), National Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Center of China (NATESC), and the China Society of Plant Protection, was successfully held in Beijing. Prof. Wu Kongming, President of CAAS, Dr. Robert Bertram, Chair of the Technical Committee of FAO Global Action for Armyworm Control Program and Chief Scientist with United States Agency for International Development, Dr. Xia Jingyuan, Secretary General of the Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control and Sepcial Advisor to the Director General of FAO, and Mr. Wei Qiwen, Director General of NATESC, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Ms. Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director General of FAO, sent a video address.

Prof. Wu Kongming stated that fall armyworm is a common problem and challenge faced by the world. The Chinese government has successfully managed to curb the outbreak and control of fall armyworm, effectively safeguarding crops from pest. Experts and research teams from CAAS actively participated in China-FAO South-South cooperation initiatives, sharing China's expertise in fall armyworm monitoring, early warning systems, and comprehensive integrated pest control technologies while enhancing international collaboration and knowledge exchange. Additionally, they explored and advocated sustainable control methods and adaptable management models for various regions, jointly ensuring the sustainable development of global agriculture. China is willing to strengthening existing cooperation platforms, innovating collaboration mechanisms, and engaging with the international community in a more open manner, aiming to control fall armyworm effectively and make meaningful contributions to plant protection globally.

The symposium, themed "Charting a global response to future invasive pests", is committed to promoting international cooperation in the sustainable control of fall armyworm, strengthening joint efforts to combat fall armyworm and other invasive pests, as well as ensuring food security. Nearly 200 representatives from different government departments, agricultural research institutes, and international organizations worldwide attended the event.