China: Global Impact of Biotech Crops: Economic and Environmental Effects, 1996-2018

China Biotechnology Information Center co-organized the first webinar which was broadcasted through Zoom, Vhall (a Chinese broadcasting platform), Youtube, and Facebook.

Brookes reported that the Chinese economy has been impacted by insect resistant cotton since it was adopted in 1997. In 2016, 95% of the cotton production in the country was GM.

Mr. Maotang Zu, President of the Farmer Technology Association from the Gaobeidian City of Hebei Province, shared how Bt cotton improved farmers' lives by gaining an average of 10-fold increase in their produce.

Dr. Chunyi Zang of the Institute of Crop Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences moderated the panel discussion, wherein special topics were elaborated such as the impact of the newly-approved GM corn and GM soybeans in China, as well as the importance of GM crop production and its requirements for quality food and natural biodiversity. Dr. Mahaletchumy Arujanan, ISAAA Global Coordinator, closed the webinar by stating China is a key economy in the world, and it is a key country to watch for in terms of its innovations in biotechnology and new breeding technologies.