A food safety management personnel of Taohualing Kindergarten is doing pesticide residues testing. The children’s food safety risk is completely controlled from purchasing to testing. (Photo by Wang Changming)
Editor\'s Note: In order to implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the Party\'s Eighteenth Conference, the Municipal Party Committee proposed "1 +10" plan. "1" refers to “opinion on deepening reform and transformation of development mode”;" 10 "refers to 10 normative documents. From today on, Three Gorges Daily will publish a series of interpretation reports to help readers under these documents.
“Food safety should be regarded as the prime livelihood project. We should try our best to build Yichang into one of the best food safety cities in China. ” On April 10, 2013, Huang Chuping, Member of Standing Committee of Hubei Provincial Committee and Secretary of Yichang Municipal Party Committee, proposed the goal when he inspected the food safety condition.
Shortly afterwards, an expert group was formed and on the basis of research and demonstration, a series of research reports were made. On January 28 this year, the municipal government issued "Decision on Accelerating the Construction of the Best Food Safety City."
This "Decision" put forward new ideas, new measures on establishing modern food safety management system with Yichang characteristics in aspects of general requirements, structural reform and implementation measures.
On April 2, Xiang Jun, member of the inspection group and Direct of Municipal CPPCC Research Institute accepted an exclusive interview. He gave an introduction and interpretation of the “Decision.”
[Background Analysis]
Food safety has always attracted much attention. Why does Yichang want to construct modern food safety management system to build itself the best food safety city in China?
Xiang introduces that, food safety is the focus of people’s daily life. It is closely related to people’s health, economic development, social stability as well as government\'s credibility. Therefore, food safety is not only the largest livelihood problem but also the largest economic and political problem. As the living standard is upgrading, people become more and more concerned about food safety. It has been an urgent task to improve the food safety. To build Yichang into one of the best food safety cities in China is to meet people’s expectations. It is also an approach to implement the spirit of the Eighteenth CPC National Congress and the Third Plenary Session of the Party\'s Eighteenth Conference.
Is it possible to build Yichang into one of the best food safety cities? The answer is yes. Xiang told reporter that Yichang has already had a solid foundation to be the best city. First, there is a solid basis for the work. As the structural reform implemented, many supervision problems have been solved and the food safety regulatory agencies, strength, and means have been greatly enhanced. Meanwhile, there have been no regional, systemic food safety accidents in recent years. Second, it is supported by many citizens. Many Yichang people have increasing awareness of the importance of food safety. Meanwhile, in recent years, Yichang has gathered much solid mass foundation. Third, Yichang has steady financial resources. The local public budget revenues are over 20 billion yuan, which is a reliable financial support. Therefore, it is necessary and possible to build Yichang into one of the best food safety cities.
[Highlights]
Highlight One: The overall goal is based on the "four first-class" requirements. And we should adhere to the five basic principles of quality rather than quantity. Great efforts should always be made till the goal is achieved.
Summary: Taking the food safety regulatory reform as an opportunity, the national evaluation system as standard, we should carry out various demonstration activities and solve prominent problems to ensure final achievement.
Reporter: Why there is an overall goal but there are no quantitative indicators in the “Decision”?
Xiang: Qualitative rather than quantitative indicators is proposed in the goal. It is mainly because efforts should be continuously made to build Yichang into the best food safety city and there should be no ending but new starting point. We can say that this goal not only embodies the deployment requirements of the country but also reflects the actual exploration and innovation. It is both a short-term goal of building Yichang into an exemplary city and a long-term goal of always ranking the first class in China.
Summary: During the construction, we should adhere to the principles of people-oriented, community-involved, innovation-based, all-sections-coordinated and process-supervised.
Reporter: Why do we propose these five principles which should be strictly followed?
Xiangjun: the people-oriented principle is a principle from the terms of our working ideas. It is our value orientation to realize and develop interests of the masses. A unified regulatory coordination is from terms of institutional mechanism. All departments should be unified together under supervision to fulfill their responsibilities. Combing social work is from terms of working pattern. Both authorities and social groups should be involved in the construction. Combing reform and innovation is from terms of key requirements. It is our working experience in the past and it is also practical nowadays. Addressing both symptoms and root causes is from terms of specific working methods. It is necessary to enhance the scientific food safety regulation and the level of modernization, to promote the development and growth of food production and management, to enhance standardization and intensification.
Highlight Two: Modern food safety management system highlights the municipal government\'s determination, confidence and courage.
Summary: Implement network, traceability and integrity management and explore to establish modern food safety management system with Yichang characteristics.
Reporter: Which aspects will be focused on during the construction?
Xiang: The municipal government and committee will focus on systematic, legal, comprehensive and source management. It is creative to construct modern food safety system with Yichang characteristics. "Three most" ideas are proposed, namely, the most strict principal management system, the most rigorous process management system, and the most rigorous risk management system.
Reporter: What are the specific details of the "three most" ideas?
Xiang: The most strict principal management system requires grid and standard management. It is a major shift to put principal in a prominent position. It is proved that grid management is an effective measure to be continuously insisted and developed. The most rigorous process management system requires strengthening science and technology, especially information technology applications to enhance the whole process of supervision and building food safety traceability system. The “Decision” indicates that standardization and clean production should be promoted. Traceability management should be implemented in three major industries such as citrus, tea and mountain vegetables. The most rigorous risk management system requires accelerating food safety credit system construction. It reflects the strengthening of supervision based on risk analysis. It is pointed out in the “decision” that food safety credit information platform should be established led by the Food and Drug Administration to share the information from food and medicine, business, health, quality supervision, public security, taxation, finance and other related departments. “A negative list system” should also be established. Any illegal body should be included in the negative list. It is necessary to adopt food safety integrity building measures and risk control protection mechanism.
Highlight Three: Deepen the food safety regulatory system and mobilize the enthusiasm of both authorities and masses.
Summary: Focusing on “integration, unity and strengthening”, food safety regulatory agency reform should be entirely completed. Streamline department relations, strengthen regulatory responsibilities, reform and improve the food safety regulatory system.
Reporter: The reform deepening is a major event concerned by public. Why does “Decision” focus on “integration, unity and strengthening” instead?
Xiang: It is clearly stated in the national, provincial and municipal documents on regulatory reform and exemplary city establishment. "Decision" emphasizes the practical condition of Yichang City. It should be focused on “integration, unity and strengthening” during the reform deepening. It is proposed to establish a regional inspection centers to strengthen food safety risk monitoring and evaluation, to rationalize the sector relationships. It is also proposed to start from establishing the national food safety exemplary city to the best food safety city. To mobilize the enthusiasm of both authorities and masses through regulate food safety supervision.
Reporter: How to implement such measures?
Xiang: It is proposed to organize leading groups led by chief leaders of each city, county or district. Working funds will be provided according to current financial policy and standard. It should be focused on food safety information platform construction. Strict law enforcement is emphasized by each supervision department. Special agencies should be founded to supervise any illegal conduct. Anyone who is illegal will be strictly punished. It will be awarded to report any food safety accident. These series of measures offer a strong guarantee for the construction of the best food safety city. We believe that the "decision" is bound to raise the food safety level in Yichang. And it will also help to promote Yichang to be a food safety exemplary city and thus help to realize the “megacity dream “and “happy dream.”
[Public Voices]
Cui Xudong (Secretary of Changjiang village, Qu Yuan Town, Zigui County): Food safety has always been a concerned problem. This "Decision" reassures us. We hope to increase food safety crackdown on illegal and criminal behavior. At present, the food safety problems in urban areas have drawn much attention and food safety problems in rural areas cannot be ignored. We hope to carry out the policy in the “Decision” in rural areas.
Wang Yanqiang (from Yichang Penglong Commerce Ltd., Co.):
We are both dealers and consumers. It has great significance to build Yichang into the best food safety city. It is beneficial to both the city and the people. As dealers of milk, grain and oil, we will actively participate in creating activities. On one hand, we should strictly obey the rules by choosing formal manufacturers and cooperating with enterprises with great sense of social responsibility. On the other hand, we should take the responsibility of dispose any food which is expired or package damaged in order to supply safe food to all customers.
Guo Hui (from Yichang Municipal Food and Drug Administration Bureau):
Food safety has always been a direct and practical problem concerned by our people as well as people around the world. On the basis of investigation, the municipal government and committee promise to built Yichang into the best food safety city. I suggest, first, we should help to build confidence through various ways to advocate the food safety situation, policies, initiatives and outcomes. Second, we should enhance allocation function ability according to relevant requirements. Third, we must improve the ability to upgrade safety skills. Fourth, we should increase food safety productivity by eliminating or reducing ineffective and inefficient security measures in order to solve food security problems from the very beginning. (Reporter Liu Zirong)