Breaking News: China Destroys 3 US Shipments of GM Corn

Breaking News: China Destroys 3 US Shipments of GM Corn

Sayer Ji


Activist Post

Could the global tide in support of GMOs be turning? A new report
reveals that the formerly pro-GMO Chinese government, one of the
largest consumers of GMO food crops in the world, is beginning to crack
down on GM corn shipments from the US that have not followed appropriate
biosafety regulations.

According to a news brief released today by GMWatch.org, China destroyed three shipments of GM corn imported from the US. GMWatch.org reported:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The law says that the [Chinese] Ministry of Agriculture must require
environmental and food safety tests to be carried out by Chinese
institutions, in order to verify data provided by the seed developer.
All these documents must be reviewed by the National Biosafety Committee
before the MOA can issue a safety certificate. Yet these shipments of
US corn did not have the relevant safety certificates and approval
documents, according to the news reports below.</blockquote>
The first two shipments are referenced on the website of the Zhuhai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, confirming that two illegal GM corn shipments entered Wanzai Port in Zhuhai City on May 7th, and were subsequently destroyed:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Recently, during inspection and quarantine of imported food from USA by a
certain company, the Wanzai Office of Zhuhai Inspection and Quarantine
Bureau (in Guangdong Province in the south of China) detected two
shipments containing GM corn products, which are not in compliance with
China's "Entry and Exit of Genetically Modified Products Inspection and Quarantine Management Approach". The Office destroyed the two shipments of corn according to the provisions.*</blockquote>
The existence of a third shipment was confirmed in a May 19th article appearing on news.china.com.cn titled, "Harbin intercepted a total of 115 kgs of GM corn seeds, which will be destroyed":
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Recently, the Harbin Entry-Exit Inspection and
Quarantine Bureau intercepted inbound mail of 21 cartons of corn seeds
from USA, totaling 115 kgs, which were detected as GM seeds. This is
the first time that the Heilongjiang Provincial Inspection and
Quarantine System has intercepted inbound corn seeds containing GM
ingredients. These corn seeds will be destroyed. *</blockquote>



Surprisingly, despite these seemingly drastic steps by Chinese authorities to destroy GM seeds, an article in China Daily
from last year explains that the consumption of GM soybeans is already
universal in China, even despite widespread public concerns that they
have not been adequately safety tested:
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Summary: Imported RR soybeans (Roundup herbicide
resistant GM soybeans) has already accounted to over 80% of total
consumption of soybeans in China, but the assessment and approval
procedures for the initial imported GM soybeans, has been oppugned that
it's examination procedures exists with defects. According to news
reports, on Feb. 20, 2012, Gu Xiu-lin and other three citizens upon
application were approved to check the "certification documents for the
GM soybeans obtaining safety certificates"</blockquote>
The China Daily article
goes on to quote Shi Yan-quan, Deputy Director, Agricultural Finance
and Education Dept., who stated on April 20, 2012, that over 50 million
tons of GMO soybeans were imported to China in 2011 alone. The article
also refers to the fact that for eight years, 1.3 billion Chinese
consumers have been consuming Monsanto's GM food crops, relying entirely
on biotech-funded safety evaluations, without any independent safety
testing carried out by the Chinese government. Additionally, a revealing
study published in 2012
found that the Chinese print media is completely co-opted by biotech
industry influence. They revealed that "48.1% of articles were largely
supportive of the GM technology research and development programs and
the adoption of GM cottons, while 51.9% of articles were neutral on the
subject of GMOs. Risks associated with GMOs were mentioned in the
newspaper articles, but none of the articles expressed negative tones in
regards to GMOs." The authors concluded: "Chinese print media is
largely supportive of GMOs. It also indicates that the print media
describes the Chinese government as actively pursuing national GMO
research and development programs and the promotion of GM cotton usage."

Are these latest incidents a sign that the Chinese government is
beginning to take more seriously the health threats associated with the
consumption of genetically modified food? According to the GMWatch.org
report's primary informant, who for purposes of anonymity goes by the
pseudonym "Mr. Li":
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"[T]he new government's decisive move to destroy the illegal GMOs
"progressive, encouraging, and satisfying". He regards it as a sign that
it is keeping its promise to work for the people and the nation. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Mr Li said: "The deeply pro-GMO old government would not have made such a
thing public. It would have secretly returned the shipments, or in most
cases it would not even have inspected shipments that could contain GM
ingredients."

source:-
http://www.activistpost.com/2013/05/breaking-news-china-destroys-3-us.html
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