China to tighten food export controls

BEIJING, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- China agreed to tighten food and drug export controls Tuesday in the first day of high-level trade talks with the United States.

Washington and Beijing also agreed to notify each other within 48 hours of any significant risks to public health related to product safety, recalls and other situations, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

In the past, there was no system of notification.

A working group will be created within 60 days to develop a plan that further details specific activities each will undertake to implement common trade controls and to establish performance measures to evaluate progress.

Washington and Beijing also agreed to broaden access to each other's markets, promote tourism and encourage mutual investment.

Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi called the one-day closed-door meeting "evidence of sincere goodwill from both sides to resolve economic and trade issues through peaceful consultation," Xinhua reported.

The outcome set a positive tone for the third China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue Wednesday and provided a boost to trade development, she said.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez also praised the talks' outcome and said he was optimistic China would continue opening markets to the United States.