China is to launch a nationwide campaign on improving food
safety in mid-December to better protect its children and
teenagers, Cheng Zhigang, a spokesman with the campaign leading
group, said on Sunday.
Initiated by China Soong Ching Ling Foundation last August, the
campaign was jointly launched by 11 government departments
including the National Development and Reform Commission,
ministries of education, agriculture, commerce and health and the
General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and
Quarantine.
"Its goal is to spread food safety and nutrition knowledge to
children and their parents, help youngsters have healthy dietary
habits and regulate domestic food market", said Cheng.
During the campaign, the organizer will adopt tangible measures
including establishing a special fund for children's food safety,
formulating national standards for food quality catering to
children and supervising the food quality in groceries and
supermarkets in rural areas.
Official figures show that China has more than 400 million
children and teenagers under the age of 18 for the time being.
(Xinhua News Agency December 9, 2007)