APEC leaders set to discuss China food safety
Tuesday, 4 September 2007
SYDNEY, Sept 3 (AFP): Asia Pacific leaders will discuss food safety at a summit in Sydney this week following a spate of recalls and concerns over Chinese food products, an Australian official said today.
The issue has already been discussed by officials thrashing out the agenda for leaders of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and will be taken higher up, said David Spencer, Australia's ambassador to APEC.
"I would imagine there would be further discussion in the meetings during the course of the week. It is a vitally important issue," he added.
China has been hit hard by increasingly frequent reports of dangerous food and other Chinese-made products being seized or recalled overseas.
They have ranged from seafood, noodles, fruit and vegetables to toothpaste, tyres and toys.
China has said that as a developing nation it needs time to reach commonly accepted international standards and recently announced it would begin marking food exports that pass quality tests with a special label from September 1.
The issue has already been discussed by officials thrashing out the agenda for leaders of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and will be taken higher up, said David Spencer, Australia's ambassador to APEC.
"I would imagine there would be further discussion in the meetings during the course of the week. It is a vitally important issue," he added.
China has been hit hard by increasingly frequent reports of dangerous food and other Chinese-made products being seized or recalled overseas.
They have ranged from seafood, noodles, fruit and vegetables to toothpaste, tyres and toys.
China has said that as a developing nation it needs time to reach commonly accepted international standards and recently announced it would begin marking food exports that pass quality tests with a special label from September 1.