Japan and China Dicuss Food Safety

Dumpling Incident of '08 Sparks Talks

China and Japan are negotiating new draft food safety that would allow Japanese officials to enter Chinese factories for safety inspections. When tainted food from China enters Japan, Japanese officials would be allowed to investigate the factory. The safety of food made in China has been a concern to the Japanese since the toxic dumpling incident of 2008. Traces of methamidophos, an insecticide, were found in some Chinese-made dumpling and made 10 people ill. China said it was unlikely that the dumplings were contaminated in China, but Japan asked for further investigation. The two countries agreed in a summit last November to improve food safety between the two countries. There is no word if Chinese officials would be allowed into Japanese factories. That move would demonstrate China's openness to Japan, "since the bilateral trade relations mean much to both countries". Once this agreement takes place it could open the door for other such arrangements. I think that this shows that China is truly trying to clean up their practices, which have been under fire in recent years.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-02/11/content_9459637.htm