U.S., China reach pact on safety of imports

BEIJING, CHINA — China has reached a deal with the United States to improve import safeguards, after tainted wheat-gluten from the country spurred the largest pet-food recall in U.S. history.

The agreement, made during a series of talks, aims to increase U.S. exports to China and "enhance the safety of scores of household items the American people consume on a daily basis," U.S. Health Secretary Mike Leavitt said in a previous interview.

A statement from the health department revealed the changes will increase information exchanges and require registration for exporters.

"To keep up with the pace of global commerce, we need a fundamental shift from trying to catch unsafe products as they come in, to building quality and safety into products before they reach our borders," Leavitt says.

Potentially deadly chemicals have been found in multiple products exported from China, including toothpaste, toys and seafood.