Minister Chen of China’s Health Ministry and Secretary Leavitt of the U.S. Health and Public Services announced plans to set up food and drug safety oversight offices in China and the U.S. to enhance the supervision and standardization of food and drug quality. 

In the interview, Secretary Chen stated that China is beginning preparations to set up offices in the U.S.  The main tasks of China’s oversight offices in the U.S. will be announced after their establishment. 

Secretary Leavitt of the U.S. Health and Public Services stated that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had set up three offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai, and the offices had begun operations in November 2008.  The main tasks of the U.S.’s oversight offices in China are to improve China’s supervision of food and drug quality, and to inspect food and drugs that China is exporting to the U.S.