Chinese gov`t moves to improve food safety systems

China's food monitoring and risk assessment systems are to be upgraded with new technologies and more funding, said a government report received by Xinhua Friday.

The report was submitted to China's top legislature by a food safety office under the State Council, or the Cabinet, which gave an account of the government's work in implementing the Food Safety Law.

To improve assessment of safety risks of food and agricultural products, the government had already drawn up regulations and set up national expert commissions, it said.

The government would work to build a more extensive safety risk assessment system, make assessment more scientific and standardized, and broaden its information monitoring, it said.

The report said the Ministry of Health had established 31 food safety monitor centers at provincial level and 312 at county level, while the Ministry of Agriculture had expanded monitoring of quality safety of agricultural products to 259 big and medium cities.