Food safety crisis in China

China is taking steps to improve product safety in response to international concern over food and other products made in the country. This new policy was announced at an international conference on product safety that opened in Beijing on Monday, according to NHK.

Officials stressed that China regards product safety as its chief priority and takes responsibility for the safety and health of consumers. They said China is setting up a system for stricter product inspections, and added that the government is preparing an online database of products about which there are safety concerns.

The European Union says about half the faulty products exported to the region last year were from China, and in the United States, thousands of dogs and cats died recently after eating pet food made with ingredients from China.

Food safety crisis in China? You bet. China Daily reports that the government has unveiled a five-year plan for food and drug safety administration, aiming to improve monitoring and law enforcement in food and drug production. Governments at all levels should invest in food and drug safety and enhance supervision capabilities, the plan said.

What they call "quality eligibility rate" of fresh agricultural products in large whole-sale markets and chained supermarkets in big and medium-sized cities will reach 95 percent in 2010. Wow, what about the rest. And what about now? Sounds like trouble.

There is also an ongoing scandal in China with officials from the food and drug administration on trial for taking bribes from drug companies. Yesterday, Chinese media reported a second official went on trial alongside the watchdog body's former head, in the latest blow to the country's record on food safety, according to China Daily.