China denies allowing imported GM crop seeds for planting

A Chinese official from the Ministry of Agriculture biosafety administration office denied recent media reports that China had already approved imported GM grain seeds for widespread planting.

"The Ministry of Agriculture has never approved any genetically-modified grain seeds for planting in the country, and there are no GM crops being planted within the country," said the unnamed official.

The GM cotton, soy, corn and rapeseed approved for import into China were "restricted to use as raw materials for processing," but not for planting, said the official.

Nonetheless, the official described hopes that China will be a leading player in international competition to create and grow its own GM crops that are resistant to pests and diseases.

Accelerating technical research on GM crops and their application and healthy development will provide a vigorous scientific support for the sustainable development of China's agriculture, said the official.

China approved the safety of the insect-resistant Bt strain of rice and phytase corn last November, opening the door to widespread planting of the GM grain crops, within about three years.

More than 20 GM crops have been approved for field trials, including wheat, soy and rapeseed, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) report published last month.

China's largest feed mill, the New Hope Group, said the company was supporting GM corn, which could help China produce enough grain to meet rising demand for animal protein.

"We have no choice, either we import large quantities of corn or grow GM corn. I think the government will choose to grow GM corn," said Liu Yonghao, chairman of the group.