Premier Li calls for stricter watch on infant formula
Source: Xinhua/Shanghai Daily |
June 1, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINESE Premier Li Keqiang has vowed to tighten the monitoring of production of milk powder for babies and crack down on safety violators. He said the quality of infant formula affects the nation's future.
The government has pledged to improve the quality of domestic baby milk powder to regain consumer confidence in China's dairy industry, which has been mired in product safety and image problems.
Li told a State Council meeting yesterday that the quality of infant formula should be tested with the same standards used for medicines and that each step of the production process must be monitored.
Li said the safety of infant formula "concerned the healthy growth of the next generation and concerned the happiness of millions of families and the country's future," according to a statement on the central government's website.
"Baby milk powder safety is not only an issue concerning people's livelihood, but also a major economic and social issue affecting the nation's future. It is urgent for the government to upgrade the safety standard of domestic baby milk powder," the statement said.
A specific campaign targeting baby milk powder safety will be launched to weed out unqualified baby milk powder providers, baby milk powder companies, operators of milk collection stations and milk transport vehicles, according to the statement.
The government will also firmly adopt an accountability system for milk powder manufacturers and intensify the crackdown on violations, the statement continued.
Concerns about the safety of domestic milk powder have fueled Chinese parents' demand for foreign-made infant formula, leading to bulk-buying in Hong Kong and Britain, and in some other markets.
Chinese consumers' craving for overseas milk powder has caused several countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Germany, to introduce quota measures to cope with China's growing demand for the products.
In 2004, fake Chinese milk powder left at least a dozen babies dead from malnutrition.
In 2008, infant formula that was tainted with an industrial chemical, melamine, killed at least six babies and sickened nearly 300,000 others with kidney stones and other illnesses.
At the State Council meeting yesterday, the premier also said a system should be set up to supervise the sale of infant formula on the Internet and improve the monitoring of the quality of imported milk powder.
Li said milk producers, transporters or collection stations that failed to meet safety standards must be banned and violators of safety laws strictly punished.
The government has pledged to improve the quality of domestic baby milk powder to regain consumer confidence in China's dairy industry, which has been mired in product safety and image problems.
Li told a State Council meeting yesterday that the quality of infant formula should be tested with the same standards used for medicines and that each step of the production process must be monitored.
Li said the safety of infant formula "concerned the healthy growth of the next generation and concerned the happiness of millions of families and the country's future," according to a statement on the central government's website.
"Baby milk powder safety is not only an issue concerning people's livelihood, but also a major economic and social issue affecting the nation's future. It is urgent for the government to upgrade the safety standard of domestic baby milk powder," the statement said.
A specific campaign targeting baby milk powder safety will be launched to weed out unqualified baby milk powder providers, baby milk powder companies, operators of milk collection stations and milk transport vehicles, according to the statement.
The government will also firmly adopt an accountability system for milk powder manufacturers and intensify the crackdown on violations, the statement continued.
Concerns about the safety of domestic milk powder have fueled Chinese parents' demand for foreign-made infant formula, leading to bulk-buying in Hong Kong and Britain, and in some other markets.
Chinese consumers' craving for overseas milk powder has caused several countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Germany, to introduce quota measures to cope with China's growing demand for the products.
In 2004, fake Chinese milk powder left at least a dozen babies dead from malnutrition.
In 2008, infant formula that was tainted with an industrial chemical, melamine, killed at least six babies and sickened nearly 300,000 others with kidney stones and other illnesses.
At the State Council meeting yesterday, the premier also said a system should be set up to supervise the sale of infant formula on the Internet and improve the monitoring of the quality of imported milk powder.
Li said milk producers, transporters or collection stations that failed to meet safety standards must be banned and violators of safety laws strictly punished.
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