The State Council Wednesday stressed the importance to strengthen supervision over food and drug and improve the country's industrial production permit system.

At an executive meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, the participants reached a consensus that food and drug safety is a crucial part of public security, and is directly related to the people's health and life; supervision over food and drug is a major responsibility of the government.

The participants agreed that it was necessary to make and implement a plan for infrastructure construction within the food and drug supervisory and administrative system, and approved in principle the construction of some related projects.

They urged local governments and related departments to strengthen law enforcement in food and drug supervision.

The meeting also discussed a draft regulation on the production permit of industrial products.

According to the draft, a permit is needed for the production of foodstuff that has a bearing to people's health, products that may threat people's life and property, products related to financial security, the quality of telecommunications, labor safety and public security, and other products that a permit is required by the law and administrative regulations for production.

It was agreed at the meeting that the draft regulation would be issued by the State Council after further revision.

(Xinhua News Agency June 30, 2005)