The second session of the National People's Political Consultative Conference held its second press conference today, where several CPPCC members addressed pressing questions from Chinese and international journalists. Topics included "promoting scientific development," with particular attention given to concerns surrounding the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods.
Chen Xiwen, vice chairman of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, emphasized that the safety of GM foods should be determined through practical experience rather than speculation. He pointed out that so far, there have been no reported cases of health issues caused by consuming GM agricultural products. China has been importing GM crops for years, primarily cotton, and in the near future, it is expected to continue importing such products as demand increases.
Chen highlighted that while China is one of the world's major producers of GM crops, the cultivation is mainly limited to cotton and not widely used in food production. The country's main imports of GM agricultural products are soybeans, with last year's import volume reaching 58.38 million tons. Most of these soybeans come from the United States, Brazil, and Argentina.
Imported soybeans serve two primary purposes: first, they are processed into oil for cooking and blended oils consumed daily. Second, the byproduct after oil extraction—soybean meal—is a critical source of plant protein for aquaculture feed.
Addressing public concerns about GM organisms, Chen noted that the topic remains highly debated within the academic community. He acknowledged that the public’s skepticism is reasonable, as no conclusive evidence has yet proven GM foods to be either completely safe or entirely unsafe. Therefore, he argued, the issue must be resolved through real-world application and long-term observation.
He added, “To date, I have not heard of any cases where people have suffered health problems due to eating genetically modified crops. This has not happened yet.â€
Regarding the necessity of importing GM foods, Chen explained that China's domestic soybean production is around 13 to 14 million tons, but the country's demand exceeds 70 million tons annually. As a result, soybean imports will remain essential in the coming years, and the country will inevitably continue to import certain genetically modified agricultural products.
Oak Flooring,Oak Engineered Wooden Flooring,Oak Wood Floor,Engineered Flooring
Jiangsu Zhenrui Furniture Material Co., Ltd. , https://www.zrfloors.com