In the aspect of pork quality, all designated companies have been inspected and registered. Over 99 percent of pigs in cities of county-level and above had been butchered at designated companies; about 88.6 percent of pigs in townships had been butchered at designated companies.

In the field of consumer goods, a recall system on products directly concerning human health and safety has been established.

In the area of imported and exported goods, inspection and supervision of manufacturers of food, agricultural produce, toys, lamps and lanterns, and small electric appliances have been strengthened and quality inspection at customs has been intensified.

"We try to eliminate any chance for substandard goods to be produced or traded. We will harshly punish officials whose dereliction of duty is discovered during the national campaign," said Li.

Long-term schemes

Wu said in Guangzhou on November 30 that during the national campaign on product quality and food safety, the drafting of new quality standards would begin, taking lessons from the advanced standards of other countries, particularly safety and inspection standards on food and sensitive consumer goods.

"All products for exportation will be covered by a monitoring network and they should be produced according to product standards of the importing countries. The design of all export-oriented products directly concerning human health and safety should be reexamined according to the technical standards of importing countries," said Wu.

Wu pointed out that quality control over exported products directly concerning human health and safety should be intensified through three measures. The first is to put all manufacturers under inspection networks and set up quality dossiers to strengthen daily inspection. The second is to increase sample inspections of exported sensitive goods. The third is to timely adjust the inventory of goods for compulsory inspections according to the needs of reality.

Wu said an urgent task was to guarantee the quality of goods. "In the run-up to Christmas and the Spring Festival, we need to pay special attention to quality control of exported food, kitchenware, toys, lamps and lanterns. Supplying excellent quality goods for festival shopping will be a good opportunity to establish the image of Chinese products."

Wu pointed out that exporting companies evading customs inspection would be harshly punished. "The malpractice of a small number of companies has allowed some substandard goods to be exported, which damaged the order of the international market and stained the national image," she said.

Explicit Prohibitions in Eight Key Areas 1. Agricultural produce Wholesale markets in cities to be monitored; five poisonous pesticides banned. 2. Processed food Production and processing plants must hold permits. Small companies must guarantee product safety. 3. Food in circulation Markets in cities of county-level and above must get qualification proof and receipts from suppliers. Small grocery stores must record purchases. 4. Catering businesses Companies in cities of county-level and above must check suppliers' qualifications and will be closed without a permit. All catering businesses are forbidden from using meat products of animals that died of disease or for unknown reasons and are forbidden from using poisonous additives in food processing. 5. Drugs On the spot inspections to begin. Companies must abide by the scope of permits. Advertisements featuring celebrities and medical experts are banned. 6. Pork All pigs must be butchered at designated companies in cities of county-level and above and in townships 95 percent. Markets, supermarkets, company cafeterias and catering companies in cities of county-level and above must purchase pork from designated companies. 7. Human health Companies producing 10 categories of products, including electric appliances and toys, must produce quality dossiers and hold a permit. 8. Imported and exported products Illegally imported meat and fruit will be recalled or destroyed. Raw material production bases for exported food will be inspected. Food for export must go through inspection and quarantine procedures.