China to reward food and drug whistleblowers

BEIJING - China's food and drug watchdog on Tuesday announced that it will reward people for reporting food and drug issues to authorities.

Whistleblowers could get up to 300,000 yuan ($48,244) per case as a reward, according to a circular publicized by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).

The move aims to "encourage the public to report illegal activities so as to determine, control and eliminate potential safety risks concerning food and medicine," the SFDA said in the circular.

Depending on the accuracy of information provided and intensity of a whistleblower's engagement in the investigation of relevant cases, the organization or individual behind a tip-off could receive 1 to 6 percent of the value of the food or medicine involved as a reward, according to the circular.

Though a 300,000 yuan ceiling was set, the SFDA said exceptions could be made by national and provincial food and drug authorities in cases with nationwide influence.

The new reward rule will replace one released on Nov 27, 2003, which only set down conditions for rewarding those who report illegalities concerning medicine and fixed the award ceiling at 50,000 yuan.