The global food trade network (FTN) is a critical infrastructure for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The FTN’s vulnerability to geopolitical conflicts, public health crises, and climate change events directly impacts food security and the ability to meet the SDGs. This study aims to analyze the dynamic evolution of the vulnerability of FTN, focusing on the period from 2000 to 2022, to aim for strategies for enhancing the resilience and sustainability of the global food system. Based on complex network analysis, we examine the structural characteristics and evolution of FTN for four major crops: soybeans, wheat, rice, and maize. We identify a trend towards increased network density and regionalization, with a decline in average shortest path length (ASPL) and an increase in the average clustering coefficient (ACC). These changes indicate a shift towards a more interconnected and resilient FTN in response to various shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine conflict. The findings suggest that the global FTN has adapted to increase resilience, which is essential for achieving the SDGs related to food security and sustainable development. The study’s insights can guide policy interventions to further strengthen the network against future shocks and promote global food security.

Improving the export quality of forestry products is crucial for the development of the forestry industry in developing countries. This study focuses on China—the largest developing country and a leading exporter of forestry products—and explores how GVCs influence the export quality of their forestry products, taking into account the unique characteristics of the forestry industry as a resource-based sector. Using China’s trade data from 41 partner countries between 2000 and 2014, the study finds that forward GVC participation significantly enhances the export quality of forestry products, distinguishing this study from the previous research. The diffusion of technology within GVCs is identified as a key influencing factor. This result highlights that, as a resource-based industry, the value chains in the forestry industry are typically buyer-driven, with lead firms in these chains, which possess advanced technologies, often occupying downstream positions related to marketing and brand building. Therefore, when developing countries leverage GVCs to improve the export quality of forestry products, they should not only focus on backward GVC participation but also consider the potential for technology diffusion generated through forward GVC participation. This distinction from other production-driven value chains is one of the key findings of this research.