China's Ministry of Agriculture recently announced that it has cleared three types of genetically modified (GM) soybeans for importation into the country. Officials say that GM foods are safe for human consumption, yet there is still no clear evidence to back up such claims. Needless to say, many people in China - a country which is certainly no stranger to food safety issues - are still skeptical about eating such products.

Actually, a report from the American Academy of Environmental Medicine in 2009 concluded that GM products may promote infertility, allergy and immune dysfunction, and accelerated aging in humans.

Although the Chinese government mandated that all GM products be clearly labeled, reports late last year that children in Hunan Province were used as unwitting guinea pigs to test the effects of eating GM rice haven't done anything to inspire the public's confidence.

The author is Luo Xiaoming, a commentator.