HONG KONG — China's preliminary agreement with the United States on measures to deal with food and drug safety worked out last week is an encouraging development that may well avert a confrontation that could poison the relationship, which is already beset by trade and other economic disputes.
The initial framework on a memorandum on food safety and another on drugs and medical devices was worked out at a five-day meeting in Beijing between experts from the two sides. The two countries will meet again in the middle of this month at the vice ministerial level to work out a detailed draft.
The U.S. is concerned with what it sees as insufficient infrastructure in China to assure the safety and quality of many Chinese exports. However, according to a statement issued by Mike Leavitt, U.S. secretary for health and human services, China has requested American help to "enhance the technical capacity of China's regulatory agencies to help ensure Chinese exports to the U.S. meet U.S. safety standards."