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Genetically modified soybean and corn that were granted bio-safety certificates by China's agricultural authority are more likely to be used for research than commercial cultivation, but it could be a step toward allowing the cultivation of transgenic cereals in China, agricultural experts said on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Tuesday released a list of 71 transgenic plant varieties that will be granted biosafety certificates. 

The list included a genetically modified soybean variant named Zhonghuang 6106 from the Institute of Crop Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and a strain of corn named DBN9858 from a biotech company. The listing is a rare move in China, as genetically modified food crops are not allowed to be commercially planted in the country.

"The listed soybean and corn variants are more likely to be used for scientific research," Li Guoxiang, a research fellow in the agricultural sector at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

According to Li, China has strict regulations on commercial cultivation of genetically modified food crops. It requires enterprises or organizations to obtain several certificates, including the biosafety certificate, before getting the final approval, and to date nobody has obtained the certificates yet.

"Issuing the biosafety certificate means the genetically modified soybean and corn variants from the applicants have met certain standards of food security and are environment friendly," Li said, adding that it could be perceived as a step toward commercial cultivation for genetically modified crops.

China is a major global soybean consumer. According to official data, China consumed 1.05 trillion tons of soybean in 2019, of which 885.1 billion tons was imported. All of the domestically grown crops were non-transgenic and mainly used for bean products such as making tofu.

Although the commercial cultivation of genetically modified soybean is not allowed in China, genetically modified crops are widely commercially planted around the world. As of 2018, there were 26 countries and regions cultivating genetically modified crops on 191.7 million hectares of land. The US topped the list with 75 million hectares, followed by Brazil with 51.3 million hectares.