China has 25,570 foreign-funded food enterprises and branch offices, according to the latest government figures.

Almost half of the foreign-funded companies are food producers, accounting for 45.5 percent of the total, while those engaging in circulation and catering services account for 21.1 percent and 33.3 percent respectively, according to figures from the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

The statistics also show that nearly one fifth of the foreign food enterprises are registered in Shanghai.

An SAIC official said that tightening supervision on foreign-invested food enterprises is one of the key ways to eliminate potential food problems.

China has also established more standards and testing organizations to enhance supervision over the quality of agricultural products.

The government has issued a White Paper detailing the current food safety situation in China and has launched what it terms a "special rectification program" on product quality and food safety, which cover the whole country in four months.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2007)