National Business Daily:
Recently, the General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs published a notice on encouraging original innovations in agricultural genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and regulating biomaterial shifts. Does it mean that the industrialization of agricultural GMOs is being prioritized into the fast lane of development? And why did the ministry publish the policy? Thanks.
Zhang Taolin:
Thanks for your attention to this issue. My colleagues have answered questions on GMOs many times. China's attitude toward GMOs is consistent and clear. That is, insisting on independent innovation in research, ensuring safety in promotion and application, and implementing strict supervision in management. Publishing the notice is one of our daily jobs, which demonstrates our work requirements to promote innovation on the one hand and strengthen management on the other hand. You may have noticed that the Central Economic Work Conference and the "No. 1 Central Document" all made it clear that we should respect science, tighten supervision, and push forward with the industrialization of bio-breeding in an orderly manner. Agricultural GMOs are a major part of modern bio-breeding technology, which is also the fastest-growing and most widely used modern biological technology. According to statistics, since GMOs were approved for commercial use in 1996, genetically modified crops have taken up over 40 billion mu of land across the world, spanning 29 countries. That means 29 countries have planted genetically modified crops. There are also more than 40 countries and regions that import genetically modified agricultural products. For the industrialization of agricultural GMOs, we will continue to push forward in line with the principles of respecting science, strict management, abiding by laws and regulations,, and ensuring safety, so that GMOs and other modern agricultural biological breeding technologies can better benefit our people. Thanks.
