The Chinese government is becoming more critical and restrictive in evaluating the environmental and biosafety aspects of genetically modified ( gm ) plants. It is setting up a centre for assessing their environmental affects. It will also scrutinise its regulations pertaining to the transgenic crops. China is the first Asian country which has commercialised production of gm plants. It has already conducted extensive research for producing these plants.
The government is taking these measures in the wake of Japanese rejection of the Chinese made soya sauce. According to Japan, the soya sauce was made with genetically modified soyabeans imported from the us . Many Europeans countries have also asked the Chinese government to certify that its food products do not contain transgenic material.
According to the proceedings of the first Asian Conference on Plant Pathology held in Beijing, research on the production of pest resistant crop was being held at various Chinese institutes and universities. These organisations were carrying out research for developing transgenic papaya plants resistant to papaya ringspot virus, for producing virus free sweet potato, among other things.
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