More than 71 million tons of soybeans were imported in 2014, most of them genetically modified.

On the 3rd, Chen Xiwen, deputy head and office director of the Central Rural work leading Group, and Han Jun, deputy director of the Office of the Central Rural work leading Group, interpreted the relevant situation of "some opinions on strengthening Reform and Innovation and speeding up Agricultural Modernization." Han Jun said that China has now approved commercial cultivation of GM crops mainly cotton and papaya. At the same time, it has approved the import of some foreign genetically modified agricultural products, mainly soybeans, including rapeseed, cotton and corn. More than 71 million tons of soybeans were imported last year, most of them genetically modified soybeans.

The 2015 Central Committee document, recently released, pointed out that agricultural GM biotechnology research, safety management and science popularization should be strengthened. In this regard, Han Jun said that this is a consistent policy, because GM can be said to be a promising new technology and new industry.

It can be said that China started relatively early in the field of genetically modified research, and we have a very good team of scientists, although on the whole, there is an obvious gap between us and the developed countries in the world in terms of research. but in some areas we can be said to be in the leading level in the world. In particular, the research on genetically modified rice and corn can be said to be at a leading level. " Han Jun said.

Han Jun said: as a large country with 1.3 billion people, China has a large population and little land, and the environmental and resource constraints faced by agricultural development are getting stronger and stronger, and it is clear that we cannot fall behind in the research of genetically modified biotechnology.

Han Jun also said that this year's Central Committee document No. 1 proposed to strengthen the management of the safety of agricultural genetically modified organisms, which is China's consistent policy. Proceeding from its own national conditions and drawing lessons from international experience, China has established a system of laws and regulations, technical regulations and government administrative system for the safety management of agricultural transgenic biotechnology in line with international standards. This system covers all aspects of transgenic research, testing, production, processing, import licensing and product labeling. All activities and actions in China have laws to follow and rules to follow. As soon as our administrative department finds out, there is no doubt that it will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.