2016年CRI Political Advisers Call for Open-mind on GMO

 

When it comes to the subject of GM foods, the public have a lot to say.

"As consumers, we can't tell the differences between GMO and non-GMO. Some food we eat daily must contain GMO. Many say that cherry tomatoes and purple sweet potatoes have both been genetically¹ modified. Now no one has stepped forward to say what is GMO."

"I don't really know about GMO. Some say it is good and others say otherwise. Maybe I have mistakenly eaten some GM food. I'm not sure."

To address the public concern, Chen Xiwen, a political advisor² and director of the central agricultural work leading team office, says China has been strengthening the research and supervision³ of technologies of GM food, and promoting them carefully on the basis of security.

China had so far only approved the domestic growth of GM papaya and cotton, and allowed the import of GM soybeans, corn, rapeseed and beets⁴ from overseas, with the stipulation⁵ that the imported GM crops can only be used as feed for animals and in the manufacture of oil.

"GM soybeans can resist herbicide. So the technology mainly works to improve the plants' resistance which will also reduce costs for farmers and pollution. Cotton plants are genetically modified to fend⁶ off attacks from cotton bollworm. And GM papaya can resist viruses. GM technology doesn't increase production but it does improve resistance."

Chen admits, however, that GM corn has been illegally planted in a number of places in China, reflecting gaps in official supervision.

Chen has vowed⁷ to take immediate⁸ actions against such illegal conduct.

Bio-technologists are voicing their support for a technology that, they feel, will add new varieties to people's diet and also better quality.

Luo Yunbo, dean of college of Food Science and Nutritional⁹ Engineering in China's Agricultural University, says the development of GM technology is a primary solution to the food issue.

"With the growth of our population, our demands on food are also developing: we want higher quality and more variety. When it comes to resolving food issues, there are only two solutions: one is land; the other is the technology. In China, we do not have much potential left on the land part. The farmland is shrinking in the face of increasing urbanization. So we need to speed up on the technology. If we have the technology and breed good crops, we will have the advantages in the market and in strategy."

Political adviser¹⁰ Peng Yufa adds that China has lagged behind countries such as the U.S. in terms of GM fish due for various reasons.

"The world's first GM fish was developed here in China back in 1980s. There has always been controversy¹¹ over GM fish but not in terms of food safety, but out of concern for the environment. Also, we have a relatively¹² a small number of researchers working in the field and saw no great demand in the marketplace. The technology was then shelved for over a decade. And now, the U.S. has become the first country to commercialize GM fish."

Last year, U.S. regulators gave the green light to imported GM salmon¹³, becoming the world's first country to allow this variety as food.

Political advisor Chen Xiwen pointed¹⁴ out that GM technology, as a new thing to the public, draws many doubts and questions from the mass.

He stresses that stricter scientific tests and information disclosure are important before any GM food are put on the market.

"Chinese government has always been sticking to three principles about GM food. First, GM technology is a cutting-edge highland¹⁵ of contemporary life science and biological science. Second, any GM goods that are being commercially produced or enter the market need to come through strict scientific test, and are not allowed to appear on the market until proved safe. Third, the consumers' rights to know and select on their own should be guaranteed."

1 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

2 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

3 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

4 beets   

甜菜( beet的名词复数 )； 甜菜根； （因愤怒、难堪或觉得热而）脸红

参考例句：

• Beets are Hank's favorite vegetable. 甜菜根是汉克最爱吃的蔬菜。
• In this enlargement, barley, alfalfa, and sugar beets can be differentiated. 在这张放大的照片上，大麦，苜蓿和甜菜都能被区分开。

5 stipulation   

n.契约，规定，条文；条款说明

参考例句：

• There's no stipulation as to the amount you can invest. 没有关于投资额的规定。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The only stipulation the building society makes is that house must be insured. 建屋互助会作出的唯一规定是房屋必须保险。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

7 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 nutritional   

adj.营养的，滋养的

参考例句：

• A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy.缺乏营养价值的饮食不能维持人的健康。
• The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.食品上的标签提供很多关于营养成分的信息。

10 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

11 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

12 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

13 salmon   

n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的

参考例句：

• We saw a salmon jumping in the waterfall there.我们看见一条大马哈鱼在那边瀑布中跳跃。
• Do you have any fresh salmon in at the moment?现在有新鲜大马哈鱼卖吗？

14 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

15 highland   

n.(pl.)高地，山地

参考例句：

• The highland game is part of Scotland's cultural heritage.苏格兰高地游戏是苏格兰文化遗产的一部分。
• The highland forests where few hunters venture have long been the bear's sanctuary.这片只有少数猎人涉险的高山森林，一直都是黑熊的避难所。