China, Japan, S.Korea pen memorandum on food safety
- Source: Global Times
- [02:04 November 24 2009]
- Comments
By Zhang Wen
Health ministers from China, Japan and South Korea agreed Monday to step up efforts to ensure food safety and deepen cooperation on fighting against the A(H1N1) flu virus in Tokyo, according to an AFP report.
Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu, his Japanese counterpart Akira Nagatsuma and South Korean Health Chief Jeon Jae-hee signed their first joint memorandum on food safety after a meeting in Tokyo, a statement said.
"We have discussed food-safety related issues," Chen said. "Japan experienced a foodsecurity crisis in 1955 and 2000. It has adjusted and strengthened the food-safety laws and regulations in the process of dealing with the crisis. China is willing to learn from Japan’s experience, and to work together with other countries to deal with food-safety problems." Nagatsuma also said Japan hopes to share experiences with China and strengthen cooperation.
Under the memorandum, the three nations agreed to immediately notify each other if a foodsafety problem surfaces, and to clarify the process of investigation, the statement said. Wang Yong, minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China, had earlier noted that all nations face food-safety problems.
"Countries should adopt active exchanges and cooperation to resolve their differences and enhance global food-safety standards and quality control standards," Wang said, adding that, "at the same time, strengthening international cooperation in assuring food safety and fighting against trade protectionism are key."
Chen Junshi, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, pointed out that China, as a developing country, is still facing many food-safety problems. "China should strengthen international cooperation in food safety, further develop research on food-security strategies, and continue to strengthen the role of science and technology in supporting food safety."
The three ministers also issued a joint statement in which they agreed to step up cooperation in the fight against the A(H1N1) flu virus.
