State-Triggered Deliberative Environmentalism: The Case of GMO Regulations in China in a Comparative Context

Yves Tiberghien and Li Guo

State-Triggered Deliberative Environmentalism:  The Case of GMO Regulations in China in a Comparative Context

Abstract:

What explains the surprising turn toward precautionary regulations on agriculture biotechnology in China after 2000, despite the lack of free civil society and democratic channels that have proved necessary for such change in other countries like Japan or Korea? And what does it imply in terms of the ability of the Chinese governance system to incorporate non-economic interests, such as environmental concerns and societal public goods?

This paper advances the framework of state-triggered deliberative environmentalism to explain the trajectory of regulation of agriculture biotechnology in China. While the initial turn was a rapid state decision in response to trade concerns and normative channels, public opinion and participatory deliberation have played a crucial role in subsequent policy steps. The paper traces policy decision through three distinct phases and relies on extensive fieldwork in China and comparative analysis with other East Asian cases. It offers insights on new inputs in policy-making and the ensuring policy instability in the context of weakly institutionalized channels for participation.