Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the US Department of Agriculture’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) annual report on agricultural biotechnology in China. The report, which can be read in full here, was released on December 16, 2016.
Biotechnology is designated as a strategic emerging industry in China, and the government invests heavily in biotechnology research.
The 13th Five-Year Plan for National Science and Technology Innovation (13th FYP) issued by the State Council in August 2016 revealed that China will push forward the commercialization of key products, including the new generation Bt cotton, Bt corn, and herbicide-tolerant soybeans.
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The government of China is in the process of revising laws and regulations governing biotechnology. In July 2016, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) released the “Revised Administrative Measures for Safety Assessment of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms”… The regulations defined in MOA Decree [2016] No.7 revises…the previous regulations governing biotechnology. The amendments remove timelines for approvals, extend the National Biosafety Committee’s term from three years to five years, and emphasize that entities engaging in GMO research and experiments are accountable for safety management.
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China has not approved any GE food or feed crops developed by foreign biotechnology firms for domestic commercial production. When foreign companies have asked to submit an application for domestic cultivation, MOA informed them that China’s foreign direct investment restrictions prohibit them from doing so.
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MOA approved three events for import in February 2016 …These were the first new approvals since December 2014. Trade in corn and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) remain weak. Trade in other products, such as alfalfa, suffers from biotechnology related trade disruptions. Despite these challenges, China is expected to remain a significant importer of GE products, notably soybeans.
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The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: China: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual
