The government is taking on the nation's food safety problems in earnest and hopes to increase collaboration with Hong Kong on this issue, new Minister of Health and Welfare Chiang Been-huang said yesterday (October 23) in an interview with Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and Commercial Radio Hong Kong (CRHK).
Chiang stated that the government has established the new food safety office in order to integrate government agencies' relevant resources, strengthen horizontal and vertical communication on related issues, conduct overall examinations of food safety problems, and establish a tracking and management system.
At the end of this month, an overall investigation of cooking oils will conclude, the minister said. He emphasized that only a minority of food factories have been implicated, and most Taiwanese producers are conscientious.
To better manage food production from the source of the ingredients onward, related units are demanding that all imported oils be registered, establishing a trilateral certification regime, and setting up the tracking and management system. Local health authorities will periodically inspect night markets and food stands and will be demanded to step up the intensity of their investigations.
The minister also indicated that in the future, Taiwan and Hong Kong will cooperate on food safety just like they do on crime-fighting. Hence, they must establish smooth communication channels to ensure the residents of both areas can eat safely, he said.
The Executive Yuan stated that Taiwan and Hong Kong have a close relationship, with businesspeople and company personnel frequently moving between the two areas, and expressed hope that Chiang's explanation of the ROC government's actions and determination will restore Hong Kongers' confidence in the safety of Taiwanese food and rebuild Taiwan's reputation as a gourmet kingdom.
TVB and CRHK will air contents of the interview on their separate networks at 7 p.m. today (October 24) as well as on subsequent news programs.