Taiwan experts to visit mainland for food issue

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-25 21:01

BEIJING -- The mainland has allowed Taiwan to send experts to discuss the issue of food safety with the mainland side, said a spokesman of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Thursday.

The two sides will set up a direct channel to discuss ways to resolve problems regarding food safety between the two sides under the framework of the mainland's Association for the Relations across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and Taiwan's Strait Exchange Foundation (SEF), according to a press release.

The move comes in the wake of the growing scandal over baby milk powder and milk products tainted with melamine, which has sickened more than 50,000 children and led to bans on the import of Chinese dairy products from many countries.

The spokesman said the mainland side will attach great importance and is willing to protect the substantial interests of Taiwan people. The mainland will continue to take a serious, responsible and practical attitude and make a complete investigation into the matter and properly handle the aftermaths.