Speech by Zhou Bohua, Director of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning!

I'm very pleased to take this opportunity to brief you about the results of the specialized rectification campaign on product quality and food safety in circulation conducted by nationwide Administration for Industry and Commerce Offices (AICs). Meanwhile, I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the friends from the media for your long-term high concern on and vigorous support to the job of AICs.

The State Council has decided to initiate a specialized rectification campaign on product quality and food safety for a period of 4 months in China . As a special combat safeguarding the physical health and immediate interest of Chinese people, maintaining the reputation of Chinese products and the national image of China, the campaign is of important and far-reaching significance to our opening-up as well as sound and rapid economic and social development, and our efforts to further implement the view of scientific development and construct socialist harmonious society. As the functional authority of China in charge of market supervision and law enforcement through administrative means, the AIC offices undertake the key task of supervising product quality and food safety in circulation, thus shoulder heavy and significant responsibilities.

In the wake of the national tele-conference on conducting the specialized rectification campaign for product quality and food safety held on August 23, SAIC has attached great importance to the conference and held internal meetings to convey and deeply study the spirits of the national working conference on product quality, the tele-conference as well as the key speeches made by Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Wu Yi. By promulgating and circulating the Action Plan on the Specialized Rectification Campaign for Product Quality and Food Safety in Circulation by Nationwide AICs and Opinions on Implementing the Special Regulations of the State Council on Strengthening the Supervision and Administration on Safety of Food and Other Products, SAIC has made the arrangements on the specialized rectification campaign for product quality and food safety applicable to nationwide AIC offices. A leading team within SAIC for the product quality and food safety in circulation has been set up, with me myself as the head, Vice Minister Wang Dongfeng as the deputy head and the principal officials from the departments and bureaus in charge as the members. In 31 provinces (including autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the State Council), leading taskforces have also been established, with local AIC Head as the head, Deputy Head in charge as the deputies and related divisions as the participants. In such way, vigorous organization and leadership has been guaranteed for the specialized rectification campaign.

The Action Plan for Nationwide Specialized Rectification Campaign for Product Quality and Food Safety issued by the General Office of the State Council has set 8 major tasks and 20 working objectives. Among 8 tasks, SAIC is in charge of taking the lead in the regulation efforts for product quality and food safety in circulation, and assisting other ministries on 7 other tasks. And out of 20 working objectives, the AICs shoulder the responsibilities of achieving 3, i.e. by the end of this year, 100% food trade fairs and department stores, in the cities above county level, shall set up the system of requiring invoices and documents attached to the purchased commodities; 100% township, street-side and community groceries shall set up the system of keeping real-time records when purchasing and selling commodities; and unlicensed operation of small grocery as well as small stalls in the towns where the township government is located and cities which are above country level, shall be thoroughly addressed. Following the tasks and working objectives set by the State Council, the AICs at various levels, closely focusing on key products, key units and key areas, have made well-organized deployment, undertaken prompt actions and adopted effective measures to enhance the regulation efforts. We have pooled the efforts on conducting the specialized inspections activity targeting at removing unlicensed food and other key products business; on conducting the specialized inspections on the business' performance of their following the statutory responsibilities and obligations including inspecting purchased commodities; and on initiating specialized actions for the quality of agricultural produce, food, meats, key products, imported and exported products as well as the campaigns for drug and medical advertisements. According to the incomplete statistics, from the initiation of the rectification campaign till now, 187,000 AIC person-times have been invested in these campaigns. 372,000 business and individual industrial and commercial households have been inspected, 17,332 trade fairs including wholesaling ones and marketplaces have been involved, and 7,633 key areas have been covered.

To ensure the effective results of the specialized rectification campaigns, the AICs at various levels have furthered the supervision and guidance thereof. SAIC promulgated the Working Program of SAIC for the Supervision on the Performance of the Specialized Rectification Campaign for Product Quality and Food Safety in Circulation. Currently, the initial stage supervision work is underway. 18 supervision teams led by Minister, Vice Ministers and Director Generals of SAIC respectively have been going to 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the State Council, conducting supervision and providing guidance thereof.

To carry out the specialized rectification campaign for product quality and food safety is not only a solution to the economic problems, but also a solemn political task with heavy responsibility. For next steps, the AICs at various levels will, following the spirits of the 17th CPC Congress, and under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, State Council, local CPC committees and governments at various levels, further clarify the focus of the rectification campaign, pool efforts on key links, complete the assigned tasks, and take vigorous rectification efforts. We should conscientiously perform our responsibilities thereof from the perspectives of awareness, working measures as well as mechanism construction, and fully finish various tasks of specialization rectification deployed by the State Council, to earnestly satisfy the general public. Particularly, in recent days, we will, following the Circular of Strengthening Food Market Supervision During National Day Holidays and Mid-Autumn Festival, arduously perform our functions, enhance the market supervision during the holidays and festivals, guarantee the product quality as well as food safety, conscientiously maintain market order, and expect the convening of the 17th CPC Congress with remarkable achievements

Now, I and Mr. Wang Dongfeng are available for any questions and comments on the specialized rectification campaign for the product quality and food safety in circulation.