Experts urge balanced evaluation on GM food

A growing number of both consumers and experts here in China are starting to raise concerns about the safety of Genetically Modified food in this country.

China's "father of hybrid rice", Yuan Longping has recently dropped a bomb in the media, saying he is working with researchers on genetically modified "corn-rice"

"We are trying to transform a certain gene of corn into rice, which would improve photosynthetic efficiency and output."

Surveys suggest that many Chinese consumers and scientists are skeptical of GM food.

Yang Huanming is a genetic research expert with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"First, can we be sure that GM food are really out of question for consumption? There is a huge difference between no problems now and possible problems in the future. Second, will GM food change our genes? We, as first-generation GM eaters, cannot be sure that our descendents will be free of any effects, even if we develop no symptoms."

Zhangye city in Gansu Province banned any organization or company from growing, trading, or using GM seeds in its jurisdiction in October last year. This makes Zhangye the first local government to issue such a measure.

However, Huang Dafang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, argues GM food are very common in overseas market.

"European countries and Japan rely on imports to meet domestic demand for agricultural goods. They import large quantities of beans and corn from the US, Brazil and Argentina. Most of them are genetically modified."

Regulations on GM imports in China are said to be among the world's strictest, as GM imports can only be used for the processing of raw materials or feed processing.

Last July, more than 60 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering launched a petition, calling for an increase in GM crops production. The petition asked the Agricultural Ministry to push forward the planting of GM rice.

Lin Zhibo, a resident in Gansu, says he wants to see more GM crop development, but opposes the rush to commercialize it.

"I'm not objecting to the idea of GM technology and GM research, but I do object to jumping to conclusions about the technology, and hasty mass promotion. We should study the impact on human health, ecological systems and national economic security."

Lin adds the growing debate over the safety of GM food is partly due to untimely disclosure of information, leaving the public confused over rumors about the safety of GM foods.

China has issued biosafety certificates for GM strains of cotton, rice, corn and papaya.

So far, only cotton and papaya may have been commercially planted with GM technology.