Prime Minister John Key today reported that positive cooperation between New Zealand and China government agencies on food safety is leading to new commercial opportunities for food companies in both countries.

"Last year, Premier Wen and I discussed how New Zealand and China could work together more on improving food safety practices and significant progress has since been made by both sides," says Mr Key.

"New Zealand and China have since worked actively on a food safety programme that has included scholarships, study tours and expert seminars, food safety research funding, and training in dairy industry systems."

The official programme of cooperation supported growing commercial relationships between food companies in China and New Zealand.

"Most food safety expertise and technology in New Zealand is owned by private companies. Increasingly food safety technology will be developed with China and used there in commercial ventures.

"In Beijing today, I was pleased to witness the signing of a letter of intent between New Zealand food safety packaging firm Foodcap, cattle breeders Te Mania and Chinese investment company Kerchin.  This new farm-to-retail partnership introduces New Zealand food safety technology that is new to China."

Most of the bilateral food safety cooperation programme has been delivered under the auspices of the FTA-based Sanitary and Phytosanitary Joint Management Committee which met most recently on 3 June in Beijing.

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