China arrests 774 in product crackdown

 
By Geoff Dyer in Shanghai
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
 
Chinese authorities have arrested 774 people over the past two months as part of a clampdown on the production of fake drugs and substandard food, the government said yesterday.

The authorities also said 626 criminal cases had been opened as a result of the national campaign of inspections of food and drug manufacturers and restaurants that was launched in August.

The crackdown was prompted by a wave of criticism about the quality of Chinese products this year, particularly in the US, after a series of products were recalled because of safety problems.

As part of a charm offensive aimed at restoring confidence in goods made in China, vice-premier Wu Yi was brought in to lead what she called a “special battle” to ensure product safety.

“Local governments of each district, county or city should make sure there remain no dens producing or selling fake products in the region,” she said at the weekend, according to a report by the Xinhua news agency, at a meeting to mark the halfway point in the campaign. She also called for strict enforcement of a new recall mechanism for substandard goods that was introduced recently.

Inspections have targeted farm produce, processed food makers, restaurants and manufacturers and importers of medicines. The government said it had destroyed 667 tons of unqualified or fake food products by October 8.

The government gave no details about the arrests or criminal cases that were announced on the website of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection & Quarantine, the government's quality regulator.

“These inspections of food safety demonstrate our determination and we will make considerable efforts to further reinforce our previous work,” said Li Changjiang, head of the regulator. In July, the regulator said it had closed 180 food manufacturers because of safety violations, although it gave few further details about the companies.

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中国整治食品安全 抓获774人

 
英国《金融时报》杰夫•代尔(Geoff Dyer)上海报道
2007年10月30日 星期二
 
中国政府昨日表示，过去两个月，在打击假药和不合格食品生产的行动中，共抓获774人。

官方还表示，在这场今年8月开始的针对食品药品制造商与餐饮企业的全国专项整治中，共对626起刑事案件立案侦察。

今年一系列中国制造产品由于安全问题被召回后，一些国家（尤其是美国）纷纷批评中国产品质量。这是导致该专项整治的起因。

作为旨在恢复人们对中国制造产品信心的魅力攻势的一部分，中国国务院副总理吴仪受命领导她所谓的确保产品安全的“特殊战役”。

据新华社报道，在本周末召开的全国产品质量和食品安全专项整治第二次现场会议上，她表示：“每个县市区政府都要确保本行政区域内没有制假售假窝点。”她还要求严格执行最近出台的针对不合格产品的新召回机制。

此次专项整治的对象是农产品、食品加工企业、餐饮企业，以及药品制造商和进口商。中国政府表示，截至10月8日，已销毁667吨不合格或假冒食品产品。

对于国家质量监管机构——质检总局(AQSIQ)网站上公布的上述拘捕行动或刑事案件，政府并没有给出具体细节。

质检总局局长李长江表示：“食品安全专项整治显示了我们的决心，我们会做出巨大努力，进一步加强先前的工作。”今年7月，质检总局表示，已经关停了180家违反安全标准的食品制造企业。不过，质检总局没有给出这些公司的具体信息。