China approves five GM crops for import

BEIJING, Jan 08 (Reuters): China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Tuesday, the first in about 18 months in a move that could boost its overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States (US) to open its markets to more farm goods.

The United States is the world's biggest producer of GM crops, while China is the top importer of GM soybeans and canola.

US farmers and global seed companies have long complained about Beijing's slow and unpredictable process for approving GM crops for import, stoking trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

The approvals, announced on the agriculture ministry's website, were granted while a US trade delegation is meeting with its counterparts in the Chinese capital this week.

"It's a goodwill gesture towards the resolution of the trade issue," said a China representative of a US agricultural industry association.

"It's been in the system for a long time but they chose today to release this good news," he added, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Two of the newly approved products - BASF's RF3 canola and Bayer-owned Monsanto's glyphosate-tolerant MON 88302 canola - had been waiting six years for permission.