Social media helping ease public's fears of GM foods

International agribusiness companies have intensified their efforts to ease public fears over genetically modified products in China, taking to social media platforms to popularize GM science and interact with the public.

Croplife International, the trade association representing a number of international biotechnology companies, launched its own Sina Weibo and Tencent WeChat public messaging accounts on Friday to engage the public about genetically modified food products amid intense debate about their safety.

The association said in a statement that it is responding to calls by the central government to increase the popularization of GM science and to enhance the knowledge about GM foods.