Genetically Modified Corn Imports, Chinese Netizen Reactions

From NetEase & Phoenix Online:

World’s Three Biggest Producers of Genetically Modified Corn Gain Approval to Enter China

Yangcheng Evening News reports, yesterday, the PRC State Administration of Quality Supervision and Quarantine (AQSIQ) approved the import of Brazilian corn. It is worth noting that Brazil is the world’s third largest producer of genetically modified corn. This Yangcheng Evening News reporter has discovered that corn from the three leading producers of genetically modified corn in the world has now gained approval to enter China. According to analysis, this could mean an accelerated rate of genetically modified corn entering China.

Argentina, Brazil produce 80% of genetically-modified corn

[…]

Argentina and Brazil are second only to the United States as the world’s largest suppliers of corn, but nearly 80% of corn produced every year qualifies as being of a genetically modified variety. In response to this fact, China is adopting an import strategy which is both open and cautious. So far, the world’s three largest corn producers have completely dominated the Chinese market. From the perspective of corn analyst Xu Xiaomiao, this means that China’s corn imports are diversifying , and its reliance on a single nation for corn is decreasing.

[…]

In May, foreign media reported that according to a Brazilian official, Brazil would be lobbying China to accelerate the approval process for the import of three breeds of soybeans as well as one breed of corn. Insiders pointed out that this recent sequence of approvals could mean the acceleration of genetically modified food imports into China.

In June, the Department of Agriculture announced the import of three kinds of soybean. At present, it cannot be confirmed whether or not these three breeds of soybean are the breeds Brazil had hoped for accelerated approval, whereas the Department of Agriculture has stated that the process of approving the breeds’ safety certifications took about three years from the time the application was received to the time of approval. Critics still say the approval was suspiciously quick. But one thing is for sure, China is accelerating its approval of genetically modified crops. It approved the import of genetically modified soybeans in 1997, and before this year’s approval of the three breeds, a total 5 breeds of soybean had been approved for import. Similarly, in 2012, 19 crop breeds were approved for import, including soybean, corn, oilseed rape, and cotton breeds. In the 8 years from 2004-2011, a total of 79 breeds were approved for safety credentials.

Comments from Netease:

我真是小李 [网易天津市网友]:

The vast majority of genetically modified corn in America’s California is used for industrial processing, not for food. The [government] experts eat specially produced food which isn’t genetically modified, leaving the common man to eat the unsafe genetically modified food. Just what kind of people do that!

[Note: Many high-level government officials are provided foodstuffs grown and raised on exclusive farms according to higher standards.]

网易北京市网友:

I’m not eating corn anymore.

悲壮的中国 [网易福建省泉州市网友]： (In response to above)

The problem is that it gets turned into oil. There’s no way you can escape it.

网易江苏省镇江市网友:

The boycott of corn starts with you and me.

监督局局长 [网易广西南宁市手机网友]：

If you don’t resist [genetically modified foods], you’ll just be waiting to die.

Comments from Phoenix Online:

凤凰网安徽省阜阳市网友：戴三个表去约架

1.3 billion people are being used as lab mice for the world. Well, no, out of those 1.3 billion people, there is a group that doesn’t eat it, they have specially produced food, even specially provided air…

凤凰网北京市网友：阳光下的小时代

Discarded and re-used cooking oil, genetically modified food, can people die from eating these things? Experts and academics just say it’s fine while not practicing what they preach, simultaneously saying [its safe] and avoiding [such things], secretly eating their specially supplied food!

凤凰网上海市网友：涅盘重生的凤凰

Certain agricultural experts in the country are all consultants for Monsanto, so you tell me why they’re want us to eat eat genetically modified food so badly?!

凤凰网上海市网友：手机用户

Oppose genetically modified food entering China!

凤凰网安徽省阜阳市网友：戴三个表去约架

To serve the people, please eat genetically modified food.

凤凰网上海市网友：手机用户

How can there be this kind of treacherous government official?

凤凰网北京市网友：飞去来月的不去飞

Some people are saying to boycott corn and corn products, but how effective is this? Most corn is used as fodder, so when you eat meat you might be unwittingly eating corn. Now you can say you won’t eat meat, but if genetically-modified corn enters China, it will mix with non-genetically-modified corn, even assimilate and absorb the non-genetically-modified corn, and so, you can’t hide from it.

What do you think about genetically modified crops?