02-21-08

中国高官试图平息日本食品担忧 (Top Chinese Official Tries to Calm Food Fears in Japan)

在日中两国筹备中国国家主席胡锦涛今年4月重大国事访问之际，中国一名高级官员试图缓解日本对中国制造食品的担忧。国务委员唐家璇星期四在东京用流利日语发表演讲，对上个月吃了中国生产的冻饺子而患病的日本民众表示同情。他还希望迅速调查这起案件。

唐家璇在会晤日本首相福田康夫前发表这番讲话。他访问日本是为胡锦涛预计4月访问日本做准备，这将是10年来中国国家主席首次访日。自从10名日本民众食用进口水饺后患病以来，日本对来自中国的食品的担忧越来越大。

A top Chinese official is trying to calm Japanese concerns over Chinese-made food as the two countries prepare for a major state visit by China's President Hu Jintao in April.

In a speech delivered Thursday in fluent Japanese in Tokyo, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan offered his sympathy to Japanese people who fell ill last month after eating frozen Chinese-made dumplings. He also expressed his hope for a swift investigation into the case.

Tang made his remarks just before meeting Japan's Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. He is in Japan to prepare for Mr. Hu's expected visit in April, the first such trip by a Chinese president in a decade. Fears about food from China have been growing in Japan since 10 became sick after eating imported dumplings.

中国告诉美国奥运代表队北京奥运食品安全 (China Tells US Olympic Team Food at Beijing Games will be Safe)

中国告诉国际社会说，2008年奥运会提供的食品将是安全的，各代表队没有必要向北京奥运会运送自己的食品。

中国食品安全官员星期四在北京举行的记者会上介绍了为奥运会制定的严密食品安全系统。他们还对最近有关美国奥运代表团计划自行携带肉类食品参加奥运的消息表示遗憾。

纽约时报最近的一篇报导说，美国奥运会代表团担心，中国肉类供应中的被禁化学物质可能导致运动员接受兴奋剂检测时呈阳性反应。

报导还说，美国奥委会将运送1万1千公斤的牛肉、鸡肉和猪肉到北京奥运会。中国官员否认报导中的说法，并表示将不允许运动员自行携带食品进奥运村。

China has told the international community that food at the 2008 Olympic Games will be safe and that there is no need for teams to ship their own food to the Beijing Games.

Speaking at a press conference Thursday in Beijing, Chinese food safety officials outlined an elaborate food safety system set up for the games. They also voiced regret at recent reports that the U.S. Olympic team plans to bring its own meat to the Olympics.

A recent report in the New York Times said the U.S. Olympic team is concerned that banned chemicals in the Chinese meat supply could lead to athletes testing positive for steroids.

The report also said the U.S. Olympic Committee will ship 11-thousand kilograms of beef, chicken and pork to the games. Chinese officials reject the claims in the report and say athletes will not be allowed to bring their own food into the Olympic Village.