Rice products originating from China have recently encountered trade restrictions in Europe because of concerns over the presence of unapproved genetically modified (GM) rice expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin. As Beijing is currently considering the first market authorizations for several GM rice varieties, and detailed information on GM rice development in China remains difficult to access, we have undertaken a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the current status of GM rice R&D in the country.