China Underlines Cautious Approach To Biotech Crops

China Underlines Cautious Approach To Biotech Crops

China Underlines Cautious Approach To Biotech Crops
Biotechnology News

By Dominique Patton BEIJING (Reuters) - China will continue to promote research into genetically modified crops while maintaining strict controls on safety of the technology, a top agriculture official said on Tuesday, underscoring Beijing's cautious approach towards biotechnology. The comments came after a major policy document, known as the "number one document", called for strengthening of GMO research and safe management of the technology, as well as educating the public on the issue. The GMO debate had become a "social problem" and people needed a more objective understanding of the technology, he said. China has poured billions of yuan into developing GMO seeds but has not dared to permit cultivation of biotech varieties of feed and food crops, citing consumer concerns over safety.
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