Chinese scientists yesterday started decoding the pig genome, the first step towards producing new, high-protein pork for China's 1.3 billion people, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The project comes on the heels of the decoding of the human genome, which saw a minor contribution from Chinese researchers.
Mapping the pig's genetic code will help China develop new breeds and contribute to a more efficient Chinese pig-farming industry, Xinhua said.
Pork is the major source of animal protein in the Chinese diet, and China has the largest pork output in the world.
So, Xinhua said, it makes sense for China to engage in its own research even though scientists in the West are engaged in similar projects.
A working draft of the human genome sequence was announced late last month.
China was the only developing country to participate in the Human Genome Project and accounted for 1 per cent of the gene sequencing.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences, the nation's most prestigious institution of scientific research, yesterday presented awards to local scientists who contributed to the completion of the human genome project, Xinhua said.