China issues new five-year certificate for its GE rice
The world's largest rice grower and consumer, China, renewed the biosafety certificates for five additional years for two varieties of genetically engineered rice developed within the country, says Reuters.
China considers law requiring GMO food labels
Chinese lawmakers are considering a proposed law to require labeling of all foods that contain genetically modified organisms, says China Daily.
Hong Kong bans poultry meat from Oregon county
Food safety officials in Hong Kong banned imports of poultry meat and products from Douglas County, Oregon, where avian influenza was found in a backyard poultry flock, said Xinhua.
Large portion of China’s farmland is degraded
More than 40 percent of China's arable land suffers from degradation, such as the impact of erosion, fertility losses, climate change and pollution, according to the official news agency Xinhua, said Reuters.
US urges Japan to take bold steps at trade talks
President Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed by telephone to push for speedy agreement of a 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership on trade, says the Xinhua news agency.