China launches week-long campaign to publicize food safety knowledge

BEIJING -- The Chinese government on Monday launched a week-long campaign throughout the country which aims to make the public think more about food safety.

Vice Premier Li Keqiang relayed to the campaign's organizer that it is essential to publicize knowledge and regulations on food safety among the public.

Li, member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that special operations and severe punishment should be adopted to decrease the likelihood of food safety scandals. As part of the campaign, a food safety inspection team under the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee held a conclusive meeting in Beijing to review its two-month supervisory tour to Jiangsu, Hubei, Sichuan and other four provinces and regions in April and May.

A statement released by the inspection team on Monday said it will issue a report on food safety problems to the NPC Standing Committee.

China's food safety has become a major public concern since a nationwide tainted milk powder scandal was exposed in August 2008.

China's top legislature passed the Food Safety Law in 2009 which was soon followed by a nationwide food safety inspection.

In the latest food safety scandal, drinks and food sold on the mainland but produced in Taiwan have been found to contain the toxic plasticizer DEHP.

China's Ministries of Public Security, Agriculture, Health, as well as the General Administration for Quality Supervision, State Food and Drug Administration are also involved in the campaign.