Apec summit ready to push for Asia-Pacific food safety body

The mainland is facing a regional push to create an Asia-Pacific food safety body at next week's Apec summit in Sydney.

With concern mounting about the quality controls on mainland exports, foreign and trade ministers will consider launching a taskforce to unify members' food safety regulations when they are due to meet next Wednesday.

The issue is also expected to crop up when leaders from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation economies, including President Hu Jintao, meet later in the week - the first time food safety has been a subject in such an international forum.

A draft summit statement seen by Japan's Kyodo news agency does not single out the mainland, reflecting Apec's tradition of seeking consensus. Beijing is a full member of the Apec forum and has been playing a greater role in the body and in other international forums in recent years. The mainland's economy is the world's fourth-largest.

'We discussed the issue of food safety and the actions Apec economies can take to facilitate trade and ensure the health and safety of our populations by improving food regulation and inspection consistent with international food safety standards, devoting greater resources to food safety and establishing more effective communication networks,' the draft says.

It announces the creation of an Apec Food Safety Co-operation Forum.