Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stressed the importance of efficient supervision over food safety when addressing a conference of the State Council on July 25.

    The premier said the issue of product quality and food safety is closely linked with people's lives, producers' reputation and the nation's image. Concerned departments at all levels must attach great importance to the issue.

    The nation must establish a rigorous network to realize effective supervision over processing, packaging, delivering and sale of products and step up the establishment of national standard systems to tally with international standards, Wen said.

    He also said the nation would continue to publicize periodic reports on product information and recall defective products in time. Meanwhile, China would strengthen cooperation with foreign countries in handling the issue and improve law enforcement on product quality problems, he said.

    The State Council has decided to form a leading group for product quality and food safety to help resolve disputes, according to the conference.

    At the same time, the conference approved a draft special regulation on the supervision over food safety which dictated intensified controls over food producers and distributors, increased responsibilities and obligations on the part of the government and more serious punishment on illegal activities.

    The draft would be amended and later formally published by the State Council, according to the conference.

Beijing promises greater efforts to ensure food safety

    BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing food safety authority has pledged to make greater efforts in inspecting catering businesses and food processing facilities across the city to ensure food safety.

    Breakfast stands will be one of the key areas that will be scrutinized and those stands that fail to meet hygienic and quality control standards will be closed down, said a spokesman with the Beijing Food Safety Office. Full story

China to reassess food safety supervision system

    BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government is reassessing the way in which it supervises food safety in order to improve the efficiency of the current system, a senior quality control official said on Friday.

    Li Changjiang, minister in charge of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), said that various government departments are responsible for food safety in China. The government is reassessing the current supervision mechanism, he said, adding new measures will be taken to enhance supervision after sufficient investigations and studies are made.  Full story