The Huazhong Agricultural University Laboratory stated that if GM rice varieties are controlled and monopolized by foreign countries, it may endanger national food security.
A schematic diagram of the development process of transgenic rice in China
Currently
A safety certificate has been issued, allowing two strains to be planted in Hubei but not out of the province
2~3 years later
Conduct variety certification, issue seed production license and seed business license
5 years later
Commercial planting, genetically modified rice will be placed on the public table
On January 31, the Central Document No. 1 “Some Opinions of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council on Strengthening the Coordination of Urban and Rural Development and Further Consolidating the Foundations of Agricultural and Rural Development†was issued, and the document specifically mentioned “to promote the industrialization of new transgenic varietiesâ€. At the end of last year, the genetically modified rice “Huahui 1†and “Bt Shanyou 63†developed by the Huazhong Agricultural University had just obtained a safety license, which was also the first certificate of safety of transgenic rice issued by China.
Including the United States, which has the most advanced transgenic technology, other countries in the world have not approved genetically modified staple crops. Therefore, this move by China is called by many people as "dare to be the first in the world."
GM rice or future food
China's research on genetically modified products can be traced back to the 1980s, but attitudes have been very cautious. So far, only insect-resistant cotton and genetically modified papaya have been approved for commercial production.
Although the potential long-term impact of GM technology is not yet clear, the human and financial resources devoted to R&D of GMOs have been increasing in recent years. In July 2008, the State Council reviewed and in principle passed major science and technology projects for breeding new varieties of GMOs. According to the
According to the Outline of the Plan for Scientific and Technological Development, by 2020, China will invest 20 billion yuan to support this special project. For more than a decade, thousands of scientists have devoted their youth and hard work.
As for the safety of transgenic rice? The State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetic Improvement at Huazhong Agricultural University (hereinafter referred to as the “Huazhong Laboratoryâ€) stated: “In recent years, our researchers have been eating genetically modified rice and they are in good health.†“After GM rice is approved for commercial planting, The Michangli of our researchers must all be GM rice."
The R&D personnel who “tested rice with rice†told the reporter that the GM rice developed by the school is “no different from the ordinary rice. In fact, it is hybrid riceâ€. “The GM rice developed by our school has a good taste, and there is no obvious change in the appearance and texture after reheating, which meets the national standard for high-quality rice.â€
Developing GM Rice Is Safeguarding Food Sovereignty
Analysts at home and abroad have already analyzed that China's approval of the independent research and development of rice genetically modified varieties will change the power division of global food trade. As the world's largest producer and consumer of rice, if large-scale production of genetically modified rice and other genetically modified varieties, China is likely to change the global supply model and complicate trade in Europe and other regions and countries that restrict genetically modified foods. With China's precedent, other countries may follow suit.
"We must specifically point out that if we do not engage in China's own genetically modified rice, we will be really subject to humans as if we did not engage in their own atomic bombs. In China, if genetically modified rice varieties are controlled and monopolized by foreign countries, it may cause rice seed prices to rise. , Endangering national food security.†Huazhong Laboratories made it clear.