However, some media in Japan and other Western countries have not shown such professionalism and have been making groundless comments about the quality and safety of all Chinese food.

Actually, the Chinese authorities offered to cooperate with Japan in establishing a food safety framework, which could serve to ensure food safety over the long term.

China already has such a system in place with United States and the European Union.

The framework covers the safety system for food imports and exports, cooperation on supervision and regulation standards, information exchanges and ministerial meetings.

If the Japanese side accepts such an initiative, it would become an effective instrument to ensure food safety, which is a concern for both countries.

It is inevitable that countries will disagree with each other as they become more intensively involved in the process of globalization. But not all disagreements have to do with politics, ethnic differences or problems of history.

Disputes could be resolved more efficiently if people focused on the disputed issues by investigating the truth, pinpointing the loopholes and making due improvements.

A country will not develop a reputation as being a responsible member of the international community unless it faces its problems in an objective and practical manner.

(China Daily February 25, 2008)