China agrees to increase number of FDA inspectors
December 17, 2013 | 05:06 PM
China has agreed to increase the number of U.S. food and drug inspectors stationed in China, the White House has announced.
The agreement took place during Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to China earlier this month.
“To strengthen food and drug safety for U.S. consumers and to assist China with its own regulatory system, China committed to allow a substantial increase in the number of U.S. food and drug inspectors stationed in China,” the White House said in a fact sheet on the trip.
“On the food and drug safety and innovation, we import a lot of food from China now and it’s important for both parties that this should be safe, and we have some FDA inspectors on the ground in China, but not enough,” a senior administration official told reporters during the trip.
“And China today agreed to increase the number — increase the visas supplied for these inspectors, and we’ll reach agreement in January 2014 on how that will be operationalized. But I know that the FDA will be very pleased.”
“It’s a big request for any government to allow an increase in foreign inspectors in your country,” Christopher Hickey, director of the FDA’s China office,” said, according to BioSpectrum, a newsletter.
White House — US Fact Sheet on Strengthening US-China Economic Relations
The agreement took place during Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to China earlier this month.
“To strengthen food and drug safety for U.S. consumers and to assist China with its own regulatory system, China committed to allow a substantial increase in the number of U.S. food and drug inspectors stationed in China,” the White House said in a fact sheet on the trip.
“On the food and drug safety and innovation, we import a lot of food from China now and it’s important for both parties that this should be safe, and we have some FDA inspectors on the ground in China, but not enough,” a senior administration official told reporters during the trip.
“And China today agreed to increase the number — increase the visas supplied for these inspectors, and we’ll reach agreement in January 2014 on how that will be operationalized. But I know that the FDA will be very pleased.”
“It’s a big request for any government to allow an increase in foreign inspectors in your country,” Christopher Hickey, director of the FDA’s China office,” said, according to BioSpectrum, a newsletter.
White House — US Fact Sheet on Strengthening US-China Economic Relations
