China: GM Soybean, Corn Commercial Planting a Step Closer After ‘Rapid Introduction’ of Draft
Commercial planting of genetically modified (GM) soybeans and corn in China moved a step closer this week following the “rapid introduction” of draft criteria amid Beijing’s increasing concerns over grain security and self-sufficiency, writes Orange Wang at the South China Morning Post.
The proposed regulations define the thresholds of “authenticity” and “effectiveness” that the GM varieties should meet when applying for examination and approval, as well as the technical standards for breeds that are further modified from already approved GM varieties.
“The safety management of biological breeding is bearing on the national food security and the self-reliance of agricultural science and technology,” vice-minister of agriculture Zhang Taolin said in comments released on Tuesday.
Like in many other parts of the world, GM technologies have long been faced with controversy and skepticism in China.
But this year, faced with domestic grain supply problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic as well as the agricultural sector being front and center of the trade war with the United States, China’s attitude towards domestic GM cultivation has eased and Beijing has doubled down on breakthroughs in biotech breeding.
Read more at the South China Morning Post.
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