2010-04-20 01:01

BEIJING - Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Monday urged food quality authorities to strengthen supervision in order to significantly improve food safety, consumer confidence, and the quality and reputation of domestic food.

He instructed officials to focus on the prominent issues of food additives, farm products, processing, distribution and import and export, livestock slaughter, the catering industry and health supplements.

"Food is essential, and safety should be a top priority. Food safety is closely related to people's lives and health and economic development and social harmony," Li said at a State Council, or Cabinet, meeting in Beijing.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, also serves as head of a national food safety commission, established early this year.

"We must create a food safety system of self-disciplined food companies with integrity, effective government supervision and broad public support, to improve overall food safety," he said.

He urged improvements in food safety standards, production inspections and emergency responses.

Li called on officials to resume food safety inspection in quake-hit Yushu in northwest China's Qinghai Province to ensure the well-being of victims and rescuers

The meeting was also attended by vice premiers Hui Liangyu and Wang Qishan.