Minister Zhi Shuping and Commissioner Borg Reach Consensus in the 8th High Level Meeting between AQSIQ and DG SANCO: Ensuring the quality of products mutually provided and promote China-EU economic and trade development
The 8th High Level Meeting between AQSIQ and DG for Health and Consumers was held in Beijing on June 7. Both sides conducted in-depth communication on the inspection and quarantine access of food and agricultural products, agreed to strengthen cooperation on the quarantine of articles posted or carried by entry-exit passengers and signed documents. AQSIQ Minister Zhi Shuping and EU Commissioner Tonio Borg for health and consumer policy addressed the meeting and signed the minutes.
Zhi in his speech commented positively on the great significance and good development momentum in bilateral cooperation. Zhi said that this high level meeting was practical, efficient and productive. Both sides conducted in-depth communications on issues of common concern, identified the direction and focal points for the cooperation of the next year. With the boosting of E-commerce in recent years, the quarantine of articles posted or carried by entry-exit passengers also grows. It is a practical movement of both sides to strengthen cooperation in this area to improve the mechanism, highlight the focal points, and ensure consumers’ rights, sanitary and phyto-sanitary situation and food safety.
Zhi said that China and EU had developed into an all-around, multi-field cooperative pattern in the past ten years. China is at the critical stage of economic and social development, while Europe is trying to achieve economic recovery. Both sides should catch the opportunity, work hand in hand, deepen and broaden practical cooperation to jointly fight against various types of trade protectionism and unfair measures. Only in this way could the overall situation of China-EU economic and trade cooperation be maintained and good pattern of win-win situation come into being. It is of great importance to strengthen China-EU cooperation in inspection and quarantine so as to protect the health and safety of the consumers of both sides, and promote the steady and healthy development of bilateral political, economic and trade relations. Chinese side is willing to join hands with EU to further strengthen cooperation and communication, constantly deepen and enrich cooperation content, and play a more important role in ensuring the quality and safety of the products mutually provided and promote the healthy development of China-EU economy and trade.
Tonio Borg expressed his agreement with Zhi’s speech. Borg said in his speech that in the context of society and economy full of challenges, China and EU need to strengthen cooperation and promote economic development through trade, meanwhile, fully protect the safety of consumers, animals and plants. Borg himself and the DG Health and Consumers attach great importance to the cooperation with AQSIQ, and are willing to join hands to protect the health and safety of the consumers of both sides, promote the China-EU economic and trade development. Borg believed that both sides would constantly deepen cooperation and explore new cooperation forms.
It is reported that this meeting was conducted regularly according to the MOU on the Arrangement of Administration Cooperation between the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China and the General Directorate of Health and Consumers of the European Union and the mechanism in the Joint Declaration signed in 2010. This cooperation mechanism played a positive role in ensuring quality and safety of consumption products, plant and animal products and food and the healthy and steady development between China and EU.
Both sides held a joint press conference after the meeting and provided the media with the information of the meeting.
