Du told a press conference at the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress that on March 20 last year, the Chinese government implemented a regulatory ordinance on gene-modified agricultural products and promulgated a few supporting regulations, including the mark management, safety appraisal, and import ratification, among others.

He said that the ordinance aims to protect biological environment and human health, protect the safety of animals, plants and microorganism, as well as protecting consumers' legal rights and interests.

He promised that China is able to carry out farmland tests on gene-modified agricultural products considering the countries diversified climate features.

He stressed that the safety appraisal, import ratification and mark management are not pointed at a certain country or a certain species, and that all countries and species are treated equal.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2003)