Vice-Premier stresses efforts to ensure food safety

BEIJING -- Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing on Tuesday called for continued efforts to ensure food safety and better meet the people's new demand for safe, nutritious and healthy food.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at an event in Beijing marking this year's food safety publicity week.

While the overall food safety situation in China remains stable and continues to improve, more should be done to innovate regulatory methods, step up supervision, and set harsh punishments for food safety violations, Zhang said.

China will improve its food traceability system and strengthen supervision at all levels -- from farms to dining tables, Zhang said.

Institutional improvements to food safety work will be achieved in various areas, including lawmaking, the creation of standards, and testing, Zhang said, adding that efforts will also be made to enhance the monitoring and assessment of risks, as well as emergency response measures.