China and the Philippines on Sunday signed the minutes of
meeting on import and export food safety in the southern China city
of Nanning.
Under the document, signed between China's General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (
AQSIQ) and the Philippine Department of Health during the first
China-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Quality Supervision, Inspection
and Quarantine which opened here Sunday, both the Chinese and
Philippine sides agreed to establish a food safety cooperation
mechanism.
Through the operation of this mechanism, both sides will inform
and consult each other about the quality and safety problems found
in bilateral food trade in a timely and actively manner to solve
the problems properly, establish for regulators and technical
experts from both sides a channel for their communication, and
exchange and reciprocal visits.
Both sides will also exchange timely the laws, regulations,
standards, inspection procedures and methods of both sides
concerning import food inspection and supervision, and their latest
changes, and notify each other about information on imported and
exported food to crack down on the illegal activities of food
trade.
According to the document, the two sides reviewed the
cooperation on food safety, especially the cooperation on dealing
with the pupils uncomfortable issue in Cebu, the Philippines, as
well as the latest progress. Both sides agreed to continue the
cooperation to treat the issue justifiably and properly.
"The Chinese side informed the measures taken by the Chinese
governments to ensure the food safety. The Philippines side
appreciated for the introduction," the document says.
The minutes was signed after "a friendly discussion on issues of
import and export food" between AQSIQ Deputy Director Wei
Chuanzhong and Alexander Padilla, under secretary of Department of
Health, and Director Leticia-Barbara Gutierrez of the Bureau of
Food and Drugs of the Philippines in Nanning on Saturday.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on
formaldehyde residue in food. The Chinese side hoped that the
Philippine side would treat the issue scientifically, while the
Philippine side said that they were carrying their evaluation and
might adjust related policies to this effect.
(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2007)