Canada and China Announce New Health and Product Safety Measures

Tony Clement, Minister of Health, joined China’s Minister of Health to launch a new Canada-China Joint Committee on Health. The Joint Committee will consist of representatives from a number of Canadian and Chinese departments involved in health matters to share information, establish goals, and address emerging issues. Areas to be discussed include: food, drug and product regulations; emerging infectious diseases; and the promotion of scientific exchange. Minister Clement also signed an MoU with China’s Minister of the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to enhance cooperation on issues related to consumer product safety. The MoU will: establish technical working groups that will share information on regulatory requirements and laboratory testing procedures for specific consumer products of common concern, such as toys and children’s jewellery; set up training workshops for Chinese manufacturers in order to ensure their full understanding and compliance with Canadian safety requirements; and establish ongoing information-sharing mechanisms and approaches between the two governments, including an urgent consultation mechanism which would be used when critical product safety issues arise.