Nation vows to keep up with transgenics

China will strive to keep up with the world's transgenic technology development while maintaining rigorous standards for genetically modified food and keeping consumers well informed about such food, the country's top agricultural authority said on Wednesday.

"In the field of (transgenic) molecular-scale seed breeding technology, which is in the vanguard of the world's life science, we as a large agricultural country cannot fall behind," said Chen Xiwen, deputy chief of the Central Rural Work Leading Group.

"In research we must strive to keep up with the advanced level in the world," the senior rural planner for the central government said while answering a question from China Daily at a news conference.