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The Legal and Institutional Framework to Address Food Security Needs

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Book cover Environmental Change and Food Security in China

Part of the book series: Advances in Global Change Research ((AGLO,volume 35))

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Abstract

This chapter begins by discussing the authorities under which China’s food and food security system operate: the 1982 constitution, the framework of laws, and both regulations and policies. It introduces the most important central ministries, classifying them into agencies emphasizing food production, food consumption, system-wide control functions, and related agencies. Then, devolution of authority and enforcement powers to sub-national governments is examined, showing weakened government authority at the local level while the central government attempts to improve integration and coordination throughout the system. The role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in food security is treated, with a focus on Greenpeace’s campaigns in China. The chapter then analyzes the important network of laws and institutions dealing with food security. The most recent is China’s new food safety regime. Discussion centers on how China handled international criticism of its “tainted products,” through revising the structure of the food safety system, revision of laws and regulations, and adoption of corrective measures.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Joseph Kahn, New York Times, October 16, 2007, A7.

  2. 2.

    Constitution of the People’s Republic of China. Beijing: China Legal Publishing House, 2001, 121.

  3. 3.

    Joseph Kahn, “New China Hierarchy May Limit President’s Power,” New York Times, October 13, 2007, A1.

  4. 4.

    In early 2008, the State Council issued a white paper highlighting China’s efforts in promoting a rule of law under a “socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics.” The paper noted that the NPC had enacted 229 laws currently in effect, while the State Council had enacted 600 administrative regulations. See Xinhua, “White Paper Highlights Rule of Law,” China Daily, February 29, 2008, 1.

  5. 5.

    Mingxin Bi, “White Paper: China Builds Food Safety Law Regime, Technological Guarantee System,” Xinhua News Agency, August 17, 2007.

  6. 6.

    Tian Le, “Hu: Well-off Society is Top Goal,” China Daily, October 16, 2007, 1.

  7. 7.

    Ibid., 6.

  8. 8.

    Tian Le, “Scientific Outlook on Development Enshrined,” China Daily, October 22, 2007, 1.

  9. 9.

    Personal observations of several MOA research and science centers, Beijing, March 18, 19 and May 24, 28, 2007.

  10. 10.

    Scott Waldron, Colin Brown and John Longworth, “State Sector Reform and Agriculture in China,” China Quarterly, 186 (June 2006), 287.

  11. 11.

    Personal interview with professor of forest ecology, Beijing, March 15, 2007.

  12. 12.

    Personal interview with former staff member, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, May 21, 2007.

  13. 13.

    See SGA’s website: http://www.chinagrain.gov.cn/d1eindex.html; also see Tony Saich, Governance and Politics of China, 2nd ed. New York: Palgrave, 2004, 249–51.

  14. 14.

    Personal interview with official, Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, Beijing, May 27, 2007. Similar comments could be made about enforcement of environmental laws at the local level. See Jiao Wu, “Environment Watchdog Calls for Sharper Teeth,” China Daily, May 10, 2007, 3. Even integrated national campaigns face implementation difficulties at the local level. For example, in 2006 seven government departments sought to ban sewage outlets at all source water protection areas by the end of the year. By 2007, some provinces had not completed the first phase (defining source water protection areas); others had not begun the process. Deputy Director of SEPA’s supervision department lamented: “It shows that an embarrassing situation does exist where government orders on environmental protection are difficult to be implemented at local levels.” See Dingding Xin, “Setback for Water Safety Campaign,” China Daily, June 15, 2007, 3.

  15. 15.

    Personal interview with official, Ministry of Water Resources, Beijing, May 30, 2007. See also: http://www.mwr.gov.cn/english1/departments.asp (retrieved September 15, 2007).

  16. 16.

    See “About SFDA, “ State Food and Drug Administration website: http://www.sfda.gov.cn

  17. 17.

    Juan Shen, “MOH Will Oversee Food, Drug Safety,” China Daily, March 12, 2008, 1.

  18. 18.

    See Ministry of Health website: http://english.gov.cn/2005-10/09/content_75326.htm

  19. 19.

    Shan, “MOH Will Oversee…,” 2008.

  20. 20.

    See State Administration of Industry and Commerce website: http://gsyj.saic.gov.cn/wcn/WCMData/pub/saic/english/default.htm

  21. 21.

    See “Standards Organizations and Related Bodies” at: http://www.standardsportal.org/prc_en/ov_standards_orgs.aspx

  22. 22.

    See Xiaoying Ma and Leonard Ortolano, Environmental Regulation in China: Institutions, Enforcement, and Compliance. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000, 78–81.

  23. 23.

    Jiao Wu, “Question is Not Big or Small, but Efficiency,” China Daily, March 12, 2008, 8. State Council member Hua Jianmin said MEP would “boost environmental and ecological protection efforts and accelerate the building of a resource-saving and environment-friendly society.” MEP was expected to gain consolidated authority over pollution prevention (now distributed among several agencies), full responsibility for water pollution, responsibility for biodiversity management and assessment of ecological protection zones. See: Jiao Wu and Jing Fu, “Ministry Will Give More Weight to Green issues,” China Daily, March 13, 2008, 5; Jing Fu, “Uphill Task,” China Daily, March 24–30, 2008, 4; and Xiaohua Sun, “Environment Chief Vows to Add Muscle,” China Daily, March 25, 2008, 3. The State council allowed it to establish two supervision and monitoring departments for pollution control, and to recruit 50 additional employees. See Jing Li, “Environment Ministry Adds 2 Departments,” China Daily, July 11, 2008, 2.

  24. 24.

    See Ministry of Science and Technology: Product Quality Law, 2000 at http://www.most.gov.cn/eng/policies/regulations/200501/t20050105_18422.htm

  25. 25.

    See National Development and Reform Commission website: http://www.sdpc.gov.cn

  26. 26.

    Jing Fu, “Energy Bureau Gets Nod to Increase Size,” China Daily, June 28–29, 2008, 3. The National Energy Bureau seems likely to be the basis for formation of a cabinet-level energy ministry in the near future.

  27. 27.

    Saich, 2004, 135.

  28. 28.

    See the ministry’s website at: http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/

  29. 29.

    Personal interview with research professor, CAS, Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Beijing, May 29, 2007.

  30. 30.

    Personal interview with staff, Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Beijing, May 25, 2007.

  31. 31.

    According to CAAS’s estimate, the hybrid rice species developed in the early 1970s increased China’s rice output by 400 million metric tons in the next 25 years. See Jing Fu, “Agriculture Looks to Scientific Future,” China Daily, November 12, 2007, 2.

  32. 32.

    See the Customs’ website: http://english.customs.gov.cn/default.aspx

  33. 33.

    Personal interview with official, Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, Beijing, March 10, 2007.

  34. 34.

    Waldron et al., 2006, 284; see also John Burns, “’Downsizing’ the Chinese State: Government Retrenchment in the 1990s,” China Quarterly, 175 (2003), 623–56.

  35. 35.

    Jing Li, “Environment Ministry Adds 2 Departments,” China Daily, July 11, 2008, 2.

  36. 36.

    Personal interview with official, SEPA, Beijing, January 5, 2005.

  37. 37.

    Personal communication from social science policy analyst, Beijing, January 31, 2008.

  38. 38.

    Xiaohua Sun, “SEPA Shifts Policy Focus to Incentives,” China Daily, February 27, 2008, 13.

  39. 39.

    Chuan Qin, “Highlighting Green Factor in Economy,” China Daily, July 20, 2004, 7.

  40. 40.

    Xiaohua Sun and Dingding Xin, “Local Officials Not Keen on Green Arithmetic,” China Daily, December 11, 2006, 1.

  41. 41.

    Xiaohua Sun, “Green GDP Shows the Red Signal,” China Daily, March 23, 2007, 1.

  42. 42.

    Jing Li, “Broader Environmental Checks on Table,” China Daily, October 7, 2008, 4.

  43. 43.

    Jing Fu and Jing Li, “Green Warning,” China Daily, December 8, 2008, 5.

  44. 44.

    Chuan Qin, “Circular Economy Enhances Development,” China Daily, September 29, 2004, 1.

  45. 45.

    Xiaohua Sun, “’Green’ Law Likely from Next Year,” China Daily, August 26, 2008, 14.

  46. 46.

    Kenneth Lieberthal, Governing China: From Revolution through Reform. New York: W. W. Norton, 1995, 199.

  47. 47.

    Zhida Zhang, ed., Ten National Ecological Forest Projects (in Chinese). Beijing: China Forestry Press.

  48. 48.

    Huanxin Zhao, “Statute to Make Government Open, Clean,” China Daily, April 25, 2007, 1; also see editorial, “Exposure of Pollution,” China Daily, April 30, 2007, 4.

  49. 49.

    The first use of this law occurred after the May 12th earthquake in Sichuan Province. The Chinese Earthquake Administration released news on the quake 18 min after it struck, including instructions for all-out efforts to rescue the injured and regular bulletins on the death toll and relief activities. See editorial, “Transparency Works,” China Daily, May 15, 2008, 6.

  50. 50.

    Zhe Zhu, “Laws Passed to Ensure Openness,” China Daily, August 31, 2007, 2.

  51. 51.

    Zhe Zhu, “NPC to Make All Draft Laws Public,” China Daily, April 21, 2008, 2.

  52. 52.

    Hu Yan, “Red Dye a ‘Food for Thought’ for Chinese,” Renmin Ribao (People’s Daily), March 31, 2005.

  53. 53.

    This discussion follows the treatment of NGOs in Gerald A. McBeath and Tse-Kang Leng, Governance of Biodiversity Conservation in China and Taiwan. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2006, 171–72, and 181.

  54. 54.

    Jonathan Schwartz, “Environmental NGOs in China: Roles and Limits,” Pacific Affairs, Vol. 77, no. 11 (Spring 2000), 38.

  55. 55.

    Ibid. Also see Tony Saich, “Negotiating the State: The Development of Social Organizations in China,” China Quarterly, 161 (March 2000), 129; and Jude Howell, “New Directions in Civil Society: Organizing around Marginalized Interests,” in Jude Howell, ed., Governance in China. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2004.

  56. 56.

    See Nick Young, “NGOs Will Have to ‘Negotiate the State’ for Some Time Yet,” China Development Brief, Vol. IX, no. 5 (June 2005), 3; and “Under Scrutiny,” China Development Brief, Vol. 9, no. 7 (September 2005), 1.

  57. 57.

    Increasingly, Beijing environmental NGOs have joined together on broad issues. For example, on World Water Day, 21 NGOs urged the public to boycott products produced by companies causing pollution. Led by Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (and author of China’s Water Crisis), the group black-listed companies releasing waste water failing to meet environmental standards. Although most were small to medium-size firms, several multinationals – such as Panasonic Battery, Pepsi Cola, American Standard – drew attention. See Xiahua Sun, “NGOs Call on Consumers to Buy Green,” China Daily, March 22, 2007, 3. See also Xiaohua Sun, “Multinationals Blacklisted for Pollution,” China Daily, August 21, 2007, 1.

  58. 58.

    Fanchao Li, “NGOs in Difficulty, Survey Shows,” China Daily, April 24, 2006, 2.

  59. 59.

    Fanchao Li, “NGOs in Difficulty, Survey Shows,” China Daily, April 24, 2006, 2.

  60. 60.

    Dangruo Sung, “Hsiamen PX Project: Move to Another Site,” People’s Daily, December 19, 2007, 1.

  61. 61.

    Zhe Zhu and Xiaohua Sun, “SEPA Calls for More Public Involvement,” China Daily, June 22, 2007, 3.

  62. 62.

    Weifeng Liu, “Transparency Key to Public Faith,” China Daily, July 16, 2007, 2.

  63. 63.

    This section is based on personal interviews with Greenpeace representatives in Beijing, April 27, 2004, August 23, 2006, and May 22, 2007.

  64. 64.

    Ibid., May 22, 2007.

  65. 65.

    Robyn Wexler, Xu Ying, and Nick Young, NGO Advocacy in China. China Development Brief, September 2006, 66.

  66. 66.

    WWF, “Water for People, Water for Life.” Beijing: WWF-China Freshwater Program, 2006.

  67. 67.

    Xiaohua Sun, “WWF to Help Preserve Yellow Sea Ecosystem,” China Daily, September 8–9, 2007, 2.

  68. 68.

    Personal interview with WWF representative, Beijing, May 21, 2007.

  69. 69.

    Personal interview with FON program director, Beijing, May 24, 2007.

  70. 70.

    Ying Wang, “Consumer Rights Still Neglected,” China Daily, March 13, 2008, 3.

  71. 71.

    Personal interview with program officer, Beijing, May 27, 2007.

  72. 72.

    Xiaofeng Guan, “NGOs Have More Room to Develop,” China Daily, May 25, 2007, 1. Also see Zhe Zhu, “Heavy Fines Await Polluters,” China Daily, February 27, 2008, 2.

  73. 73.

    Jingyun Li and Jingjing Liu, “Quest for Clean Water in China’s Newly Amended Water Pollution Control Law,” Woodrow Wilson Center, China Environmental Forum, 2009; also see Zhe Zhu, “Pollution Victims Get Protection,” China Daily, December 25, 2007, 1.

  74. 74.

    Xinhua, “NGOs Play Key Roles in Quake Relief,” China Daily, June 6, 2008, 2.

  75. 75.

    Jessica C. Teets, “Post-earthquake Relief and Reconstruction Efforts: The Emergence of Civil Society in China? China Quarterly, no. 198 (June 2009), 345.

  76. 76.

    See China Digital Times: http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2007/03/apologies_for_food_safety_in_china_1.php

  77. 77.

    Li Cao, “Firms Deny Responsibility for Poison Petfood,” China Daily, April 4, 2007, 3.

  78. 78.

    Chuanjiao Xie and Yinan Hu, “Food Recall System to Be Set Up,” China Daily, May 29, 2007, 1.

  79. 79.

    Zhe Zhu, “Industrial Raw Materials Found in Food,” China Daily, June 27, 2007, 3. AQSIQ also revoked business licenses of companies exporting tainted wheat gluten (the companies evaded quality inspection by labeling their products as chemical ingredients, which were not subject to compulsory inspection); and it closed down the factory of a Chinese manufacturer that had mislabeled the industrial use of glycerin, subsequently used in toothpaste in central America. See Zhe Zhu, “Inferior Food Exporters Punished,” China Daily, July 21–22, 2007, 2. See also Yang Yang and Jennifer Turner, “Food Safety in China,” Woodrow Wilson Center, China Environmental Forum, 2007.

  80. 80.

    Zhe Zhu, “China’s Food Quality Up to Standard,” China Daily, July 4, 2007, 3.

  81. 81.

    Zhe Zhu, “Foreign Media Rapped over Food Reports,” China Daily, July 16, 2007, 1.

  82. 82.

    Ibid.

  83. 83.

    Ibid.

  84. 84.

    Zhe Zhu, “US Toymaker Apologizes to China over Flawed Goods,” China Daily, September 22–23, 2007, 1.

  85. 85.

    Ariana Eunjung Cha, “Who’s Poisoning Whom?” The Washington Post National Weekly Edition, July 23–29, 2007, 21. In September, the Post reported that officials of neighboring states – Indonesia, Philippines, and Malaysia – were bullied by Chinese officials when they complained about the safety of Chinese products. When the head of Indonesia’s food and drug agency complained that dried fruit from China was spiked with industrial chemicals and children’s candy was carcinogenic, she was told that Indonesia should lower its safety standards. See Ariana Eunjung Cha, “Grief over Tainted Goods,” Washington Post National Weekly Edition, September 10–16, 2007, 22.

  86. 86.

    Jie Liu, “Most consumers Unfazed by Food Scandals,” China Daily, August 17, 2007, 15.

  87. 87.

    A survey of more than 200 Chinese suppliers by Global Sources (a business-to-business media company) found that 62% were increasing spending on quality control, to address food safety concerns. Two-thirds of the respondents expected their exports to increase in the future. See Qi Zhang, “Quality Control Spending to Increase,” China Daily, September 26, 2007, 3.

  88. 88.

    Commerce Minister Bo Xilai announced the ministry’s own method to engage in the “special war” against poor product quality: “Two chains, a system and a network.” The chains referred to supervising the entire process of both industrial and food production. System referred to the product recall and accountability system, while network meant a comprehensive quality monitoring system in each part of society. Further, the minister said 12 of 20 detailed goals would require comprehensive treatment: licensing of 100% of food producers, monitoring 100 percent of agricultural product wholesale markets, and inspection of 100% of suppliers of raw materials. See Zhe Zhu, “Minister Confident of Quality Victory,” China Daily, August 25–26, 2007, 3; see also Zhe Zhu, “Food Safety Struggle Bearing Fruit,” China Daily, October 9, 2007, 2.

  89. 89.

    State Council, China’s Food Quality and Safety, August 17, 2007, 9 (reprinted in China Daily, August 18–19, 2007, 5–7).

  90. 90.

    Zhe Zhu, “Food Safety High on Agenda,” China Daily, August 18–19, 2007, 1.

  91. 91.

    Wei Jiang, “Play Safe,” China Daily, October 22–28, 2007, supplement 1.

  92. 92.

    Zhe Zhu, “Committee to Evaluate Food Safety,” China Daily, December 27, 2007, 2.

  93. 93.

    Jiao Wu, “Mega Departments to Help Improve Efficiency,” China Daily, December 27, 2007, 1.

  94. 94.

    Later in 2007 the State Council proposed a substitute to this basic law. It would include a labeling system making food producers responsible for ingredients, additives, and expiration dates; a food recall system; and strict inspection of food imports and exports. See Zhe Zhu, “Committee to Evaluate Food Safety,” China Daily, December 27, 2004, 2.

  95. 95.

    State Council, 2007, 18.

  96. 96.

    Zhe Zhu, “Draft Food Safety Law Approved,” China Daily, November 1, 2007, 1. Preparing the new food safety law was difficult. Administrators proposed adding a product identification and tracking system, which would require that each product be labeled with a unique number or code. More than 20 firms objected that the new system would increase production costs, including multinationals such as Nestle, Mars, Coca-Cola and Pepsico. They submitted petitions opposing the proposed change to the NPC Standing Committee’s legislative affairs commission and to the State Council’s legislative affairs office. The China National Food Industry Association also objected to the cost of the proposed change, its necessity (as it did not deal with quality issues concerning raw materials), and its fairness (because it did not apply to small food plants). Although AQSIQ extended the deadline, it did not rescind the requirement. See Zhe Zhu, “Food Safety System Put in Draft Law,” China Daily, April 9, 2008, 3.

  97. 97.

    Zhe Zhu, “Heavier Fines to Ensure Food Safety,” China Daily, December 28, 2007, 1.

  98. 98.

    State Council, 2007, 26. See also Zhe Zhu, “More Legislation to Help Combat Shoddy Products,” China Daily, January 5–6, 2008, 1.

  99. 99.

    Ibid., 3–4.

  100. 100.

    Ibid., 7.

  101. 101.

    Several months into the campaign, the Ministry of Agriculture banned use of five pesticides, including methamidophos. It revoked licenses of seven firms producing highly poisonous pesticides and confiscated nearly 500 tons of illegal pesticides. See Zhe Zhu, “Curbs Put on Pesticide Production,” China Daily, October 30, 2007, 1.

  102. 102.

    For example, fruit from unregistered orchards or packaging plants was barred from export. Fruit exporters were required to maintain records on the origin, volume and destination of fruit shipped. Also, use of agricultural chemicals and fruit disease records were scheduled for monitoring as well. See Zhe Zhu, “Fruit Registration Rule Extended,” China Daily, September 21, 2007, 3.

  103. 103.

    See also Quanlin Qiu, “Food Firms Set Strict New Safety Standards,” China Daily, November 9, 2007, 3.

  104. 104.

    Chuanjiao Xie, “Food Safety Drive Stepped Up,” China Daily, August 19, 2007, 1.

  105. 105.

    Jiao Wu, “New Fishery Standards in Pipeline,” China Daily, December 25, 2007, 4.

  106. 106.

    Zhe Zhu, “Toy and Food Recalls Introduced,” China Daily, September 1–2, 2007, 1; see also Zhe Zhu, “Regulation on Recalls in Pipeline,” China Daily, November 23, 2007, 1.

  107. 107.

    See, for example, Zhe Zhu, “Quality Problem High on Agenda,” China Daily, July 28–29, 2007, 1.

  108. 108.

    Juan Shan, “Gov’t Pumps in $1B to Raise Drug, Food Safety,” China Daily, August 9, 2007, 1.

  109. 109.

    Chuanjiao Xie, “World ‘Still Trusts’ Chinese Products,” China Daily, November 7, 2007, 2.

  110. 110.

    Dingding Xin, “Food Safety Campaign Yields Positive Results,” China Daily, December 29–30, 2007, 1.

  111. 111.

    Jiao Wu, “Food Safety Mission ‘Complete’,” China Daily, January 9, 2008, 3.

  112. 112.

    Zhe Zhu, “Best Quality Food During Olympics Assured,” China Daily, January 15, 2008, 2. Also see: Zhe Zhu, “Food at Olympics is Safe: Officials,” China Daily, February 22, 2008, 1; and Zhe Zhu, “Food Safety at Games Top Priority: Quality Chief,” China Daily, April 19–20, 2008, 2.

  113. 113.

    New York Times, February 8, 2008.

  114. 114.

    Juan Shen, “Leavitt Confirms FDA China Office Plans,” China Daily, May 17–18, 2008, 8.

  115. 115.

    Qiwen Liang, “Joint Food Safety Test Center Starts Operation,” China Daily, June 20, 2008, 2.

  116. 116.

    All the products came from the same company, Tianyang Food Processing, in Hebei Province (outside Beijing). See Martin Facklere, “Insecticide-Tainted Dumplings from China Sicken 175 in Japan,” New York Times, February 2, 2008, A14. China’s AQSIQ disputed the report and claimed that no harmful chemicals were found in samples of the frozen dumplings. China quickly dispatched an investigation team to Japan to probe the incident. See Zhe Zhu, “Officials to Visit Japan over Food Poisoning,” China Daily, February 2–3, 2008, 1. The AQSIQ also dismissed reports that dissatisfied Chinese workers had deliberately contaminated the dumplings, and called for a Sino-Japanese joint investigation team on food safety issues. (See Zhe Zhu, “Dumplings ‘Were Not Sabotaged’,” China Daily, February 14, 2008, 1) Then, AQSIQ revealed that the producing firms were wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Nicky Foods Co. of Osaka, Japan, that they followed Japanese production procedures, and that they were supervised by Japanese staff. Perhaps, AQSIQ opined, the raw materials used had not been purchased from designated export-oriented farms. (See Zhe Zhu, “Japan Side ‘to Blame’ for Tainted Foodstuffs,” China Daily, February 23–24, 2008, 1) Next, Chinese police reported that the poisoning issue was a case of sabotage, done in Japan, and not a food safety problem. See Zhe Zhu, “Dumplings Poisoned by ‘Saboteurs’,” China Daily, Febrruary 29, 2008, 1.

  117. 117.

    In late October 2007, the New York Times reported that pharmaceutical ingredients exported from China often were produced by chemical companies neither certified nor inspected by Chinese drug regulators. Thus, they had no incentive to restrict the export of unapproved, adulterated, or counterfeit ingredients. The account pointed out: “Yet in China, chemical manufacturers that sell drug ingredients fall into a regulatory hole. Pharmaceutical companies are regulated by the food and drug agency. Chemical companies that make products as varied as fertilizer and industrial solvents are overseen by other agencies. The problem arises when chemical companies cross over into drug ingredients. ‘We have never investigated a chemical company,’ said Ms. Yan, deputy director of policy and regulation at the State Food and Drug Administration. ‘We don’t have jurisdiction.’” See Walt Bogdanich, “Chemicals Flow Unchecked from China to Drug Market,” The New York Times, October 31, 2007, A3. Then, in February 2008, US investigators focused on reports that more than 400 patients taking the blood-thinner heparin suffered complications and more than a dozen died. The raw material for the drug is made from pig intestines, and most was produced at a large Chinese factory called Changzhou SPL, a majority of whose shares were held by an American firm. The factory purchased its raw materials from many tiny, unclean family workshops; neither the small workshops nor the large factory had been inspected by either Chinese or US authorities, representing yet another regulatory void. (David Barboza, “Twists in Chain of Supplies for Blood Drug,” New York Times February 28, 2008, A17; also see Walt Bogdanich, “Blood Thinner Might be Tied to More Deaths,” New York Times, February 29, 2008, A21) The SFDA promised to address the situation by introducing higher standards for companies producing the ingredients for pharmaceuticals, and, with the assistance of the NDRC and MEP, monitor the large number (some 80,000) of chemical firms producing drug ingredients. See Juan Shen, “Tighter Control on Drug Firms,” China Daily, April 9, 2008, 3; and Gardiner Harris, “U.S. Identifies Tainted Heparin in 11 Countries,” New York Times, April 22, 2008, A15.

  118. 118.

    Xinhua, “Milk Food recalled as Baby Dies,” China Daily, September 12, 2008, 1. This was the same chemical found in Chinese pet food that sickened thousands of dogs and cats in the USA in 2007.

  119. 119.

    In 2004, 13 infants in Anhui died of malnutrition and 171 others were hospitalized after consuming substandard milk powder falsely labeled as being produced by Sanlu. See Xinhua, “Firm Probed over ‘Bad’ Baby Milk,” China Daily, September 11, 2008, 4.

  120. 120.

    Jim Yardley, “Chinese Baby Formula Scandal Widens as 2nd Death is Announced,” New York Times, September 16, 2008, A1.

  121. 121.

    Zhe Zhu and Louise Ho, “Melamine Found in More Milk,” China Daily, September 17, 2008 and Zhe Zhu and Bolin He, “Pre-Sept 14 Dairy Products Ordered Off Shelves,” China Daily, October 15, 2008, 1.

  122. 122.

    Xinhua, “Milk Scandal Reeled In,” China Daily, September 22, 2008, 1. Wen later said that China would “draw a lesson” from the affair

  123. 123.

    Zhe Zhu, “Dairy Sector Regulation Beefed Up,” China Daily, October 7, 2008, 1.

  124. 124.

    Xiaofeng Guan, “Supervision of Dairies to be Unified,” China Daily, October 1, 2008, 3.

  125. 125.

    Zhe Zhu and Xiaohuo Cui, “Food Safety Law to be Stricter, More Onus on Government,” China Daily, October 24, 2008, 1.

  126. 126.

    Xinhua, “Milk Buying System to be Overhauled,” China Daily, September 24, 2008, 1.

  127. 127.

    Zhe Zhu, “4-Month Campaign to Ensure Food Safety Launched,” China Daily, December 9, 2008, 1.

  128. 128.

    Zhe Zhu, “Dairy Goods’ See Massive Fall,” China Daily, December 2, 2008.

  129. 129.

    Quoted in Jim Yardley and David Barboza, “Despite Warnings, China’s Regulators Failed to Stop Tainted Milk,” New York Times, September 27, 2008.

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  1. University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, USA

    Jenifer Huang McBeath & Jerry McBeath

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McBeath, J.H., McBeath, J. (2010). The Legal and Institutional Framework to Address Food Security Needs. In: Environmental Change and Food Security in China. Advances in Global Change Research, vol 35. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9180-3_8

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