China's Vice Agriculture Minister Wei Chaoan said Wednesday that the ministry had never approved the import of any genetically modified seeds for commercial planting in the country.

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) issued safety certificates for GM rice that is resistant to certain insects and corn that helps pigs absorb more nutrients last year.

But the certificates were more a recognition of the scientists' work and achievement than the approval for commercial production, Wei told a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

He said the issuing of the certificates by the MoA had been a careful decision based on a scientific, scrupulous and reliable evaluation.

"It took 11 years and six years respectively to conduct evaluations on the GM rice and corn before issuing them safety certificates, which showcased our prudent attitude toward GM technologies," he said.

However, Wei also said promoting GM technologies research was a "future trend" and one of China's key strategic moves to boost its agriculture by science and technology.

"The MoA will enhance education and supervision, and promote the research and application of GM technologies in a active and sound manner," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2010)