A senior Chinese legislator has called for strengthening food safety supervision and immediately focusing on combating the illegal use of food additives following a string of food scandals.
Zhou Tienong, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, made the remarks during his inspection tour in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Monday to Friday.
Zhou and his work group made the tour to inspect the law enforcement situation of China's Food Safety Law, which took effect in 2009.
While stressing the importance of the law, Zhou said both the government's monitoring role and the food production companies' self-discipline and awareness should be strengthened.
Moreover, public supervision should make up for a lack of professional monitoring efforts, he noted.
Zhou also called for improving efforts concerning food safety standards and assessments.
A recent series of food safety scandals emerged despite repeated calls and forceful measures by Chinese authorities to revamp its food industry since being rocked by a tainted milk scandal in 2008.
The 2008 toxic milk scandal left at least six babies dead and sickened 300,000 others across the country.
Last month, steamed buns in Shanghai were reported to have been dyed, sold past their expiration date, or laced with coloring additives to mislead consumers.
In March, the country's largest meat processor, Shuanghui Group, was forced to publicly apologize after some of its pork products were found to contain clenbuterol, an additive that stops pigs from accumulating fat and is poisonous to humans.
"We must recognize the full importance and complexity of food safety problems, and make persistent efforts to solve them," Zhou said.
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Zhou Tienong, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, made the remarks during his inspection tour in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from Monday to Friday.
Zhou and his work group made the tour to inspect the law enforcement situation of China's Food Safety Law, which took effect in 2009.
While stressing the importance of the law, Zhou said both the government's monitoring role and the food production companies' self-discipline and awareness should be strengthened.
Moreover, public supervision should make up for a lack of professional monitoring efforts, he noted.
Zhou also called for improving efforts concerning food safety standards and assessments.
A recent series of food safety scandals emerged despite repeated calls and forceful measures by Chinese authorities to revamp its food industry since being rocked by a tainted milk scandal in 2008.
The 2008 toxic milk scandal left at least six babies dead and sickened 300,000 others across the country.
Last month, steamed buns in Shanghai were reported to have been dyed, sold past their expiration date, or laced with coloring additives to mislead consumers.
In March, the country's largest meat processor, Shuanghui Group, was forced to publicly apologize after some of its pork products were found to contain clenbuterol, an additive that stops pigs from accumulating fat and is poisonous to humans.
"We must recognize the full importance and complexity of food safety problems, and make persistent efforts to solve them," Zhou said.
Weekly review
May 12
No winners in U.S. hi-tech export controls
May 12
China should view livelihood issues from strategic perspective
May 11
Syria will not be another Libya
May 06
Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway to launch 10-day trial run
May 14
The week in pictures
May 11
2000-year-old wine unearthed in Henan province
May 11
Scientist: China plans to build lunar research base
May 09
Apple employee, customer reach settlement after Beijing iPad brawl
May 12
Wenchuan Reconstruction: 'Chinese miracle' impresses world
May 12
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