U.S. and China Agree on Product Safety Plan

BEIJING — Beijing and Washington have agreed to cooperate more closely on product and food safety, the two governments announced.

That move came as U.S. officials wrapped up a visit that coincided with the recall of nearly 1 million Chinese-produced toys tainted with lead paint.

U.S. health officials visited Beijing last week to work on agreements to improve safety of food, animal feed, drugs and medical devices amid a flurry of recalls or warnings about Chinese-made goods in the United States and elsewhere.

The two sides will work more closely on product safety and would seek to sign cooperation agreements as soon as possible, according to statements from China's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A spokesman for the health department, Bill Hall, said the U.S. hoped to complete draft cooperation agreements by December but declined to provide any additional details of the talks.

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