Hong Kong and the mainland have signed a new cooperation arrangement to improve food safety measures, intensify hygiene inspections and tighten examination and quarantine rules for live animals and plants.

Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow and Minister of the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Li Changjiang signed the arrangement in Beijing yesterday.

They agreed that Hong Kong could intensify inspection, quarantine and supervision work by making ad hoc inspections on mainland farms to ensure that the products supplied to the SAR are safe and hygienic.

They will develop a common procedure, methodology and standard of inspection and quarantine, including laboratory tests and analytical techniques.

They'd strengthen coordination in combating illegal imports and exports and on major international inspection and quarantine issues.

"When a major inspection and quarantine issue arises we can convene an urgent senior level meeting," Chow said.

Regular meetings

According to the new arrangement, the Guangdong, Shenzhen and Zhuhai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureaux will liaise more closely and collaborate with Hong Kong's Health, Food and Environmental Hygiene and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation departments.

Regular meetings on the safety and hygiene of mainland food supplies for Hong Kong will be held, as will be irregular discussions on core business and entry-exit hygiene inspection.

Hong Kong and the mainland also agreed to exchanges on laws, regulatory regimes, standards and management of inspection, quarantine and hygiene services.

If and when necessary, technical experts and management personnel will have technical exchanges, go on field trips and visits for inspection and quarantine and other matters.

Editor: Yan