Innovative farming exhibits catch May's eye

Agricultural innovation, such as a factory for growing plants under LED lighting, caught British Prime Minister Theresa May's eye during her tour on Thursday of China's evolving science and technology in the sector.

Researchers also showed May how they improve farming methods in urban buildings among city households and promote methods of soilless cultivation.

The cutting-edge techniques of Chinese researchers were presented to the visiting British leader at the National Agricultural Science & Technology Demonstration Park of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing.

May was a good listener and had questions for the experts.

"Would you be able to make sure that the mixture is going to be the same for each plant?" May asked as she viewed a hydroponic vegetable greenhouse, where vegetables grow in circulating water with fertilizers instead of soil.

Wei Lingling, a Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences researcher who briefed May about the exhibition, said "she is very wise, amiable and professional, and asked me many professional questions".

May said the exhibition is innovative and that she expects the United Kingdom to collaborate more with China in agricultural science and technology.

Both countries conduct research projects on improving crop yields and sustainable agricultural development, as well as reducing the environmental impact, and the UK has leading technologies in soil, seeds and pest control, according to the British embassy in China.

Agricultural science and technology are the first flagships of cooperative programs between the two countries this year, the embassy said on its weibo－Twitter-like－account on Thursday.

The prime minister and her husband also toured the Palace Museum in downtown Beijing, which in recent months was also visited by United States President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.