(ECNS) -- China will tighten safety controls on imported food products, said Sun Meijun, deputy head of the State Administration of Market Regulation, on Tuesday.
China's amended food safety regulation is set to take effect on Dec. 1. It includes more rigorous measures to control food safety and strengthens the responsibility of food importers.
In addition, entry-exit inspection and quarantine authorities will need to take effective measures to return, destroy or ban imported products when there are significant risks, or when such products come from regions hit by major food-safety crises.
China has seen a rapid increase in imported food and agricultural products. Data shows that imports of fruits, aquatic products and pork all increased by approximately 40 percent year on year in the first three quarters.
During sampling inspection, China Customs found that 2.9 percent of imported food products were not up to standard.
Figures also show, in the first five months of the year, that China’s imported food and agricultural products were mainly from South America, Asia and Europe.
