MALAYSIA SHOULD ABIDE BY CHINA'S NUTRITION LABELLING SYSTEM

By Mahanum Abdul Aziz

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- China Inspection Company Limited (CIC)
signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Inspection Consultancy (M)
Sdn Bhd (CICM) Thursday to provide testing and labelling consultation service
for Malaysian companies selling their products to China and Hong Kong.

CIC is the sole representative of the General Administration of Quality
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China in Hong Kong.

CICM's Chief Executive Officer Lee See Kok said under the MoU, CICM would
provide consultation on packaging, nutritional facts and translation services to
Malaysian companies while CIC would conduct testing, accrediting and
verification.

"We provide independent and professional services to assist manufacturers
resolve potential problems in both quality and quantity before shipment so as to
minimise investment risk," he told Bernama on the sidelines of the MoU signing
ceremony here today.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by International Trade and Industry
Deputy Minister Mukhriz Mahathir.

Lee said the company would provide consultation service for food products
and later expand it to include toys, electromechanical products and cosmestics.

China's Health Ministry requires food nutrition panels or nutrition claims
on all pre-packaged food, including imported food, to fulfill the requirements
of its New Food Nutrition Labelling System.

The nutrition labels must have information on the content of energy,
protein, fat carbohydrates, sodium and any other claimed nutrients.

Meanwhile, Mukhriz said the export of Malaysian products to China was
expected to increase following the implementation of the China-Asean free trade
agreement on Jan 1.

Currently, he said China was Malaysia's second largest export destination.
-- BERNAMA