According to China's customs statistics, in 2020 China imported 100.33 million tons of soybean, exceeding the historical level of 95.53 million tons in 2017. It took China only 25 years to increase hundred-fold its imports and take over 60% of global soybean trade. The total arable land area fell to the lowest registered level at 120 million hectares, while its protein feed demand continued exploding, forcing China to allow its long-standing stranglehold on domestic soybean oil and soybean meal supply to be covered by a number of foreign grain giants in order to save its farmlands for cereal production. Over the years, China’s trade supply has been affected by specific government policies and the agricultural reality in some of its trading countries, especially the Sino-US trade conflict and Covid-19 supply chain issues. To stabilize soybean supply, China has begun exploring new trade partners, including Russia, Ukraine and other African “Belt and Road” countries, well-known for their non-GM soybean plantations. These partners have now become an important part of China’s high-value edible bean market. With the longest history of soybean plantation and the highest diversity of germplasm in the world, China expects to see a difference in the global non-GM soybean market by accelerating crop variety research and by taking advantage of scale advantages and financial tools. Non-GM Market: Overall Self-Sufficient but Rapidly Growing China addresses imported soybeans (mostly GM) and homegrown soybeans (All non-GM) differently: GM soybeans are imported through state-back dealers and can only be sold to bean crushers. About 97% of the soybean oil and soybean meal produced in China comes from imported GM soybeans. Only non-GM soybeans are allowed for direct consumption and for bean products/condiments production. About 80% of homegrown soybeans are for edible purposes. In recent years, China has taken proactive

On February 22, 2021, China MoARA issued Announcement 401 to specify the test scope 8 testing institutes newly designated for pesticide registration, of which 7 were approved for residue study and 3 each approved for efficacy, environmental impact, and product chemistry tests.  

In 2015, China launched the “action plan for zero-growth of agrochemical uses by 2020”, aimed to increase agrochemical utilization efficiency to 40% by 2020. In a MoARA press release on January 19, 2021, the scientific measurement shows that the current efficiency is 40.2% for chemical fertilizers and 40.6% for pesticides used on 3 major food crops including rice, wheat, and maize. The Ministry also summarized the achievements with substantive data, reflecting substantial changes in China’s crop protection and fertilization sectors，as well as disclosed a new goal of increasing the efficiency by another 3 percent by 2025.

On December 28, 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs issued Announcement 379 to approve 6 newpesticides of Broflanilide, Quinotrione and Allantoin.

On December 25, 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued the national standard，“GB 39727-2020 Emission Standard of Air Pollutants for Pesticide Industry”, which will mandatorily take effect on January 1, 2021.

On 16 December 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs (MoARA) solicits opinion on draft measures for the import and export surveillance of pesticides, aimed to optimized administrative procedures and facilitate trade. The most remarkable change of this move is the paperless operation of customs clearance: once the pesticide exporter/importer obtained the electric import/export notice through the Chinese International Trade Single Window(Single Window), the customs will release the cargo without collecting paper documents.

On August 4, 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs released the Announcement 321 to designate 11 testing institutes for pesticide registration and amend the non-technical matters of 9 labs designated previously.

On 1 July 2020, China ICAMA issued an official letter to its provincial subsidiaries regarding the registration amendment to multi-element pesticides. China revamped its pesticide regulation system in 2017 with elevated requirements, aimed to reduce the number of pesticides registered and manufacturers. The multi-element pesticides with the same active ingredients and formulation type can be registered with a maximum of 3 compounding ratios. The new registration and renewal of pesticide with an extra compounding ratio will no longer be acceptable under the new regulation.

On 4 June, the Chinese Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs invited a 30-day consultation on the list of Class I agricultural pests, which was drafted as per the “Regulation for the Prevention and Control of Agricultural Pests”.