China has mapped a plan for the future of genetically modified crops, giving priority to development of non-edible cash crops, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).

Next in line comes indirectly edible and then edible crops, reflecting China's prudent attitude to genetically modified crops, MOA official Liao Xiyuan told a press conference.

"China's safety evaluation system on genetically modified crops is the world's strictest in terms of technical standards and procedures," said Wu Kongming, from the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

For genetically modified crops, China currently only allows the plantation of insect-resistant cotton and antiviral papaya for commercial purposes, Wu said, adding that genetically modified imports include soybean, corn, rape-seed oil, cotton and sugar beet.

Industrialization of genetically modified crops will focus on cash crops and industrial crops from 2016 to 2020, while beefing up the R&D and promotion of insect-resistant cotton and corn, Liao added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2016)