China has ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which
regulates the international trade of genetically modified organisms
(GMO), the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) announced on
Thursday.
The protocol obliges exporters to give greater information to
recipient nations about GMO products. It also gives importers the
power to reject GMO imports or donations, even without scientific
proof, if it is believed they will pose a danger to traditional
crops and indigenous societies.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, part of the Convention on
Biological Diversity, came into effect in September 2003 and has
since been ratified by 120 countries.
"The ratification of the protocol demonstrates China's
commitment to enhancing management on biosafety in line with
international law," said Wan Bentai, director of SEPA's Natural
Ecosystem Department.
He said the ratification will also promote the development of
legislation on the subject, strengthen the country's management of
GMO cross-border movement, improve GMO labeling systems and promote
the public's involvement in biosafety.
"China is drafting a law on GMO safety in order to better
implement the protocol," Wan said.
Although China has made much progress in GMO research since the
1980s, there are still many loopholes in its management of the
biosafety sector such as ineffective supervision in the face of
growing import of GMO products.
Biotechnology broadly relates to the transfer of genes from one
organism to another, giving the recipient favorable
characteristics. For instance, biotechnology can be used to protect
crops from pests and diseases or to make them grow
faster.?
For example, some types of tomatoes and strawberries have been
modified with a gene from a cold-water fish that protects the
plants from frost. Opponents say such practices risk damaging the
environment and increase the risks of species loss.
Wan said that the ratification of the protocol is also part of
the country's efforts to conserve its biodiversity, which is under
serious threat.
(Xinhua News Agency May 20, 2005)