彭博社：先正达并购已收尾，中国正强迫公众接受转基因
来源: 彭博社 发布时间：2017-06-01 阅读：3655 次
顾秀林导言摘录：山雨欲来风满楼。在全世界去转基因化的大趋势中，中国被推下悬崖，还要承受滚石落下。表面上是本国政府出面、委托名头最响的清华大学领衔，做全国转基因民意测验，实质上一切尽在“联委会机制”之下，一切战略安排都来自大洋彼岸。清华大学的民意检测将会精准地找出公众不接受转基因的原因，官方将对症下药，跟多年的科普不会有什么不同。给中国转基因主粮合法化盖钢印的那只手，几次举起都没有敢落下，令大洋彼岸懊恼不已。网友分析，转基因合法化一旦落实，以美国为首的先进国家就会合盘托出转基因危害的正式证据，看中国政府如何面对愤怒的人民，如何解说强推转基因的道理，顺手搞一场转基因特色的颜色革命。看来政府并非无知，所以一再推延。问题不解决早晚会爆发。
正文：
2017年6月中国将开展全国转基因食品接受程度的民意测验。中国政府的立场是：转基因技术能提高产量、满足越来越大的需求，使农业得以持续。
清华大学新闻与传播学院金建斌教授表示：清华等三所大学下个月开展一个民意测试，由政府资助，并会同时在社交媒体上配合宣传转基因基础知识。金认为转基因知识在中国受到广泛地误解。
中国是转基因棉花第四大生产国、大豆第一进口国（以转基因为主），绝大部分转基因大豆用来炼制食用油和充当鸡猪饲料。（尽管如此）公众严重怀疑转基因食品不安全，以至于政府对推广转基因主粮一直犹豫不决。
2012年的黄金大米实验引发了舆论风暴。参与实验的儿童在其父母不知情的情况下，被喂食了转基因大米。
金建斌表示，“转基因一词令中国人至今谈之色变”，至今还有人相信转基因致癌、导致不育。不久前一个地方政府（点这里了解黑龙江禁转）立法禁止种植转基因更增加了公众的困惑。
夹生饭
金建斌说：全国性民意测验将揭开公众的疑虑，使政府得以采取相应对策。“如果政府在公众没有接受这项技术之前就推动（商业化）会搞得很尴尬，就像给人吃夹生饭”。他预计，民意检测会表明公众仍然不接受转基因，但是“对这项技术了解的人越多，接受的人也会越多”。
金建斌表示，在一系列食品丑闻之后，没有权威科学机构解答问题，转基因作物大规模滥种，再加上公众对政府的不信任，都导致了（公众）对于转基因的怀疑。
转基因生产者声称，转基因增产、更营养、更抗逆——抗旱，抗霜冻，抗虫。批评者提出安全性疑问和对生态的潜在负面影响；作为世界第一大转基因作物生产国，美国去年规定转基因食品生产者必须标识转基因成分。欧洲立法机构本月否决了进口抗除草剂的玉米和棉花。
先正达战略
先正达公司生产转基因玉米种子。在其股东接受中国化工集团的430亿美元收购意向之时，公司已经准备好在中国大展宏图。中化集团预计在本月内完成交易。
中国美国商会（AmCham China）指责中国对于进口美国转基因产品的批准变得越来越慢，并且结果难以预测。现在中美两国官员已经取得共识，将在本月底之前对等候审批的美国生物技术产品做出评审，包括玉米和棉花。
中国投入了几十亿（美元）用于研发自己的转基因技术，但尚未允许转基因粮食作物商业化种植，对于（商业化）的延迟，科学家举出的理由是公众的抵制。中国宣布2020年将进行转基因玉米和大豆商业化种植。
中国政府官员曾表示，继转基因棉花之后，中国还将引进饲料作物的转基因技术。据估计，基于（中国市场）对于高蛋白肉类和乳制品的需求，玉米的年消耗量将在未来十年内增长20%。
附 英文原文
China Pushes Public to Accept GMO as Syngenta Takeover Nears
Bloomberg News
2017年5月22日 GMT+8上午9時10分25秒
- National poll in June tests view on genetically modified crops
- Media campaign will promote safety of GMO to skeptical public
China will carry out a nationwide poll next month to test the public’s acceptance of genetically-modified food, a technology the government says would boost yields and sustainable agriculture in a country that’s seen consumption soar.
Beijing’s prestigious Tsinghua University and two other Chinese colleges will carry out the survey, said Jin Jianbin, a professor at Tsinghua’s School of Journalism and Communication. The poll, sponsored by the government, will be carried out in tandem with a campaign on social media to broadcast basic knowledge on GMO technology, which is widely misunderstood in the country, Jin said.
China is the world’s fourth-largest grower of GMO cotton and the top importer of soybeans, most of which are genetically modified and used for cooking oil and animal feed for pigs and chickens. But public concern over food safety issues and skepticism about the effects of consuming GMO foods have made the government reluctant to introduce the technology for staple crops.
A 2012 trial of so-called Golden Rice -- a yellow GMO variant of the grain that produces beta-carotene -- caused a public storm after reports that the rice was fed to children without the parents being aware that it was genetically modified.
“Many Chinese turn pale when you mention the GMO word,” said Jin in his small office. Some still believe GMO food can cause cancer and impair childbirth, due to misleading reports in newspapers and social media, he said. A recent decision by a local legislative body against growing GMO crops has added to public confusion, Jin said.
‘Half-Cooked Rice’
The national survey aims to discover what the public’s concerns are so that the government can resolve the confusion, Jin said. “If the government pushes ahead before the public is ready to accept the technology, it would be embarrassing -- like offering a pot of half-cooked rice to eat.”
Jin said he expected the poll result to show that the general public’s perception of GMO is still negative, but “as more people get to know the technology, more would be willing to accept it.”
The lack of an authoritative scientific institution to answer questions, the widespread illegal cultivation of GMO crops, and public mistrust of government authorities after a series of food scandals have all contributed to skepticism about GMO, Jin said.
Producers of GMO crops claim they offer improved yields, enhanced nutritional value and resistance to drought, frost and insects. Critics have raised concerns over safety and potential adverse ecological effects. Last year, the U.S., the world’s largest producer of GMO crops, mandated that food makers label products with modified ingredients. EU lawmakers this month objected to imports of herbicide-resistant strains of corn and cotton.
Syngenta Strategy
Syngenta AG, which produces genetically modified seeds for corn, is gearing up for rapid expansion in the country after shareholders accepted a $43 billion offer for the Swiss agribusiness by China National Chemical Corp. The Chinese state-owned company is expected to complete the deal this month.
The American Chamber of Commerce in China had complained that U.S. strains of GMO suffered from slower and less predictable approval for import into China. Chinese and U.S. officials have agreed to evaluate pending U.S. biotechnology product applications by the end of the month, including corn and cotton.
China itself has spent billions on research of its own GMO technology over the past decade, but has not allowed commercial production of grains, with scientists citing public resistance as part of the reason for the delay. China has said that it will allow commercial production of modified corn and soybeans by 2020.
Government officials have said that the country would introduce the use of the technology first on feed grains after cotton. China’s corn consumption is estimated to grow nearly 20 percent in the coming decade on demand for protein-rich meat and dairy products.
— With assistance by Shuping Niu
