Source: China Daily
11-28-2007 16:02
Economic globalization has made food safety a global issue, the safeguarding of which needs consultation and cooperation among countries all over the world.
This is where the significance of the High-Level International Food Safety Forum lies. This forum, jointly organized by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the Ministry of Health, and the World Health Organization, concluded yesterday with a declaration calling for joint global efforts to deal with food safety problems.
As a responsible country, China has launched a campaign to address problems concerning food safety in the past four months, with a view to stemming possible food safety problems at the roots.
An effective monitoring chain being built will oversee the entire process of food production from the supply of raw material to after-sale service. Another monitoring system will supervise the process from the planting of agricultural products and raising of livestock to the final food on the dinning table.
We are also establishing a system, which will make it possible to find out which unit or what particular link should be held accountable if any food safety hazard occurs.
In spite of the fact that 99 percent of food products China has exported are safe, we still have much to do to optimize the supervision work and overhaul the small food processing plants.
In this regard, China needs help from developed countries in food production technology, and a higher standard of supervision and monitoring system.
The convening of this forum itself is a convincing sign that China is sincere and frank in furthering cooperation with its developed counterparts on this issue.
The international food safety notification system Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi proposed on Monday should be part of global efforts. With this system, all countries will be informed of any emergency in food problems and adopt necessary measures in a timely manner.
Earnest consultation between relevant countries about problems involving food safety is as important. We can quickly find out through consultation where the root cause of the problems are, make sure what measures to adopt to solve the problems and root out the potential risks before they become food safety hazards.
Editor:Xiong Qu
