Mainland urges Taiwan over cooking oil scandals

BEIJING - A Chinese mainland spokeswoman on Wednesday urged Taiwan authorities and relevant companies to properly handle follow-up issues after tainted cooking oil products from the island entered the mainland.

The mainland hopes that the island's authorities will deal with the issue in accordance with the cross-Straits food safety agreement and safeguard the rights and interests of consumers on both sides, said Fan Liqing of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference.

Media reports last month said about 90 percent of the oil products of Chang Chi Foodstuff Factory Co, a major food company in Taiwan, were tainted, and could harm consumers' liver and kidneys upon long term usage.

The mainland imported 4,181 liters of edible oil from the company in three batches this year via Xiamen port in Southwest China's Fujian province. So far, 2,016 liters have been recalled or pulled off shelves, according to the local inspection and quarantine authority.

The mainland announced late last month that it had suspended importing oil products from scandal-hit companies and has required such enterprises to retrieve more than 40 tonnes of edible oil imported from the island.