China
Tropical Forest Alliance’s regional hub in China is working to make China’s soft commodities supply chains more sustainable.
As one of the world’s largest importers and exporters of forest-related commodities, China plays a critical role in the soft commodity market.
It has the potential to lead the world in sustainable agricultural efforts with various bilateral and multilateral commitments from the Chinese government in place.
TFA’s regional hub in China is led by the TFA China Steering Committee, which is comprised of 21 leading corporates, government/think tanks, industry associations, and civil society representatives.
Impact stories
- With TFA’s facilitation, Mengniu, one of the biggest diary businesses in China, became the country’s first dairy company to commit to a fully deforestation-free supply chain by 2030.
- COFCO International, the trading arm of China’s state-run food group, and Modern Farming Group, a Mengniu Group subsidiary that produces milk and milk products, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to supply and accept soybeans in line with the COFCO International Responsible Agriculture Standard certification programme. This deal, valued at more than $30 million, is the first soybean order in China with a clear ‘deforestation- and conversion-free (DCF)’ clause.
- Representing a significant milestone for the Chinese market, the very first shipment of RSPO-Identity Preserved (IP) Certified Sustainable Palm Oil was accomplished in November 2024. This pioneering effort was spearheaded by Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (Yili Group), Asia’s leading dairy brand and one of the top five globally, in partnership with Yihai Kerry Arawana Holdings Co, Ltd (Yihai Kerry), the largest palm oil trader in China under the RSPO group membership of Wilmar.
Our key work streams include:
Taskforce on Green Value Chains:
TFA launched the Taskforce on Green Value Chains which is focused on encouraging global supply chain actors who enter China’s market to reduce deforestation caused by soft commodities. As of November 2024, nine market leaders operating in China have joined the Taskforce to further strengthen cross-market collaboration.
Deforestation- and conversation-free soybeans
TFA facilitated several deforestation and conversion-free soybean deals, with shipments already delivered from Brazil to China.
The Beef Alliance
The ‘Beef Alliance’ joins together food giants and civil society groups to set criteria for Brazil’s beef exports that limit deforestation and land conversion. The initiative aims to drive system-wide change across one of the world’s largest cattle-trade relationships and aims to be a model for other big economies.
National Strategy Framework and Action Plan
In close collaboration with the Foreign Economic Cooperation Centre of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, the TFA team conducted policy research that identified six priorities and 20 action items for China to build a sustainable soft commodity green value chain. The report was published during UNCBD COP15 in Montreal, Canada, and received wide recognition from field experts.
All our work in the country builds on ongoing actions to make China’s supply chains more sustainable, including through forest-positive dialogues and partnerships with other markets, including Europe, US, and Indonesia.
Tropical Forest Alliance
A World Economic Forum Initiative