Cooperation between BfR and the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine (CAIQ)

A joint symposium of the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine (CAIQ) and the BfR was held on 9 June 2010 in Berlin in order to discuss further cooperation in the area of consumer health protection of commodities and consumer products.

The CAIQ is a research institute of the Chinese Academy of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) and consists of 8 institutes and 2 scientific centres. The mission of the CAIQ is mainly to conduct research on the applied science of inspection and quarantine as well as in the areas of food safety, quarantine of plants and animals, safety of chemicals, cosmetics and consumer products.

Due to a high correlation between the missions of the BfR and the CAIQ, both institutes already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in July 2009. The MoU allows for closer cooperation between the BfR and the CAIQ in the field of science based risk analysis. One focus of the cooperation will be the risk analysis of consumer products.

In line with the MoU, a delegation of the BfR, led by its president, Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel, met with Chinese colleagues of the CAIQ in May 2010. Joint research projects have already been discussed during this visit.

The follow-up meeting was held on 9 June 2010. During this symposium, BfR experts reported on topics such as safety of chemicals, consumer products and quality assurance of laboratories.

The picture shows the delegations of the CAIQ and the BfR and the signing of a joint declaration between Professor LI Huailin, president of the CAIQ, and Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel, president of the BfR.

A further symposium will be held in Beijing in November 2010.

Further cooperation between the CAIQ and the BfR

In China, the BfR already cooperates with the Chinese Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) via the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). The CDC is an organisation of the Chinese Ministry of Health, which is also responsible for food safety in China.