China Issues Jail Threat in New Food Safety Law

Manufacturers who produce substandard food could be jailed for life under a draft law unveiled by Chinese authorities.

The government has pledged to make product safety a priority in response to scares about items including fake baby milk formula, drugs, toys with dangerous paint and pesticide-tainted dumplings.

While wrangling persists over responsibility for several cases involving sub-standard exports, officials know that the global credit crunch and appreciating yuan make restoring faith in the country's output particularly important.

The law also covers a new scheme to identify and track products ranging from food to cosmetics to boost domestic consumer confidence.

Under the draft legislation, published on a government website, producers whose goods are not up to scratch could be fined, have their incomes confiscated or their production certificates revoked. In serious cases, they could face between three years and life imprisonment.

The Ministry of Commerce and State Administration for Industry and Commerce (AQSIQ) initially said that by the end of June, products in nine categories - including food, cosmetics and home appliances - must carry a code allowing consumers to trace their place and time of origin. It has now extended the deadline until the end of the year.

Food companies including Nestlé, Mars and Coca-Cola have complained that the system will increase production costs while doing little to improve standards.

Other countries are taking their own measures to improve the standards of imported Chinese goods. The US Food and Drug Administration announced last week that it was to open an office in China.