Hu: 'We're not to blame' for food crisis -- china.org.cn

President Hu Jintao Tuesday denied that the growing demand in developing countries is responsible for rising food prices across the world.

This is a baseless accusation and shows the irresponsible attitude of those making it, he said.

Hu's remarks came at his meeting with leaders of four other developing countries, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico.

China and the four countries account for 42 percent of the world population and 12 percent of its GDP. The leaders will attend the final day of the annual Group of Eight (G8) Summit today, when climate change is likely to top the agenda.

The soaring food prices have "added to the difficulties (facing) global poverty reduction efforts, and affected regional stability", Hu said.

"Developing countries suffer most from rising food prices and we the five countries have all been affected."

What is needed, he said, is a more favorable external environment for the growth of developing countries.

The causes for soaring food prices are multi-faceted and complex, he said, and urged the international community to raise its level of cooperation and take comprehensive steps to maintain food security.

All the five countries are major grain producers and consumers so "we should jointly encourage the international community" to intensify efforts to ensure food security, Hu said.

At the end of the meeting, the leaders of the five countries called for a shared responsibility to ensure world food security, and international cooperation to boost energy development and efficiency.

"We call upon the international community to devise better ways and means of producing and distributing food," a joint declaration said.

"Multi-billion (dollar) agricultural trade-distorting support in developed countries have hampered the development of food production in developing countries, critically reducing their possibilities of reaction to the present crisis," the declaration said.

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