Chinese scientists chafe at GM snub by Gansu city
Local party secretary says genetic modification technology is threat to country, but scientists call his move 'illegal' and 'based on ignorance'
In a rare open challenge to Beijing by a local government, the relatively small and remote city of Zhangye, Gansu province, has slapped a ban on genetically modified (GM) crops, products and technology.
No GM seeds, from cotton to papaya seed, are allowed to be produced or sold in the city of nearly 1.2 million, according to a new government regulation. Zhangye's sudden stance was all the more remarkable because Beijing has authorised planting of more than a dozen GM crops.
Under pressure from rapidly increasing food consumption, Beijing has used its mouthpieces, such as the People's Daily and China Central Television, to promote public understanding and acceptance of GM technology.
Scientists dismissed Zhangye's ban as "illegal" and the result of "ignorance" of basic science. But many environmentalists hailed the city's defiance and encouraged others to follow suit.
Chen said GM food could be used by rival countries as a biological weapon to "conquer China without a fight" - an argument long favoured by some hawkish Communist Party members - and that Zhangye's policy was to ensure food safety and the "national revival".