China approves safety of first gene

According to reports, China also established gene-editing trial rules last year to improve food security and meet the growing demand of the world's largest population.

Although there is still a long way to go before farmers in China can cultivate the gene-edited soybean, the most crucial step in the regulatory process is the approval of gene-edited seed varieties that can be used. 

Shunfeng is said to be the first company in China to work on commercializing gene-edited crops. The privately held company has been studying 20 other gene-edited crops, including rice, wheat, corn, herbicide-resistant rice, soybeans, and lettuce, with high vitamin C levels. 

In addition, China is also working on genetically modified crops, with this large-scale trials of corn varieties expected this year.

The United States has also been working hard in this area. Company Calyxt received approval in 2019 for the first gene-edited soybean in the United States. 

Several other countries are also experimenting with gene-edited crops; for example, Japan has approved gene-edited tomatoes and faster-growing fish. In March 2023, England legalized the commercial development of gene-edited food.