U.S. Pressures China to Increase Food Safety
During talks between U.S. and Chinese officials on Thursday, the U.S. pressed China to increase safety measures for food and other goods it exports after numerous recent outbreaks and recall related to unsafe Chinese food products. Mike Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, tried to explain how important creating a safe image is to Chinese producers saying, "Any nation that doesn't create an atmosphere of trust with consumers and customers, they will be disadvantage quickly in the world market."
The U.S. proposed to send its own inspectors to China and urged the Chinese to adopt new policies that would punish Chinese firms that use banned chemicals, such as the recent case of the chemical diethyl glycol being put into toothpaste.
Chinese officials did not respond favorably, as would be expected. We just hope this is not all talk from Washington. Action needs to be taken to protect consumers from contaminated Chinese products.
Source: Lindsay Beck and Missy Ryan, U.S. demand China take new food safety steps. The Star, May 25, 2007.
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