Chinese agricultural biotechnology in the field

Abstract

The public debate in China on the safety of GE crops was “imported” from Europe, stated Zhangliang Chen. It is germane in particular to the improvement of rice productivity in that country, where GM varieties are in final field-trial stages. On the other hand, Peter Welters reported that the scare-mongering of anti-GM-activists in Europe is increasingly recognized for what it is. Examples showing benefits of applying genetic engineering to plants are finding acceptance by the general public. “We have only to inform people cor­rectly and constantly about the progress and the benefits of this new technology. Millions of farmers worldwide can’t be wrong.”