Xi Jinping launches 'Clean Plates Campaign', triggers fears of food crisis

A new national campaign against food waste in China has sparked a rare bout of speculation over the government’s ability to safely feed its 1.4 billion citizens when faced with floods, epidemics, locusts and rising tensions with some of its biggest trading partners.

The sudden and massive push to curb the problem of discarded leftovers -- known as the “Clean Plates Campaign” -- has puzzled experts who keep a close watch on the world’s biggest consumer of everything from grains to meat. Government officials have stressed that the country’s food reserves are ample, but some observers have nevertheless questioned the timing