China: New and Renewed Biosafety Certificates Issued - January 2024

On January 18, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) announced the issuance of new and renewed biosafety certificates for genetically engineered (GE) events. The announcement includes one renewed and two new biosafety certificates issued for GE crops approved for import as processing materials, two new biosafety certificates issued for gene-edited events for domestic cultivation and processing, two renewed and 17 new biosafety certificates issued for GE crops approved for domestic cultivation and processing, five renewed and seven new biosafety certificates for genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) for animal use, and 29 renewed biosafety certificates for GE cotton approved for domestic cultivation and processing. The validity period of new and renewed biosafety certificates is five years.