In order to jointly elevate regional food safety and nutrition & health standards and work together to create a China-ASEAN Food Safety and Nutrition & Health Community, under the guidance of the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, FAN Yongxiang, Deputy Director of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center, HAN Junhua, Secretary-General of the Chinese Nutrition Society, Sony SISOMVANG, Secretary-General of the Lao Nutrition Society, and Khin Si Win, Professor from the University of Yangon in Myanmar, jointly declared the China-ASEAN Food Safety and Nutrition Cooperation Alliance Initiative on November 16th, 2024.

The full text of the Initiative is as follows:

China and ASEAN countries share geographical proximity, cultural ties, and strong economic complementarities. Cooperation in the fields of food safety and nutrition is not only a key element in deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and ASEAN members, but also an important pathway to enhancing regional prosperity, stability, and improving people's well-being. In view of this, we propose the establishment of the China-ASEAN Food Safety and Nutrition Cooperation Alliance (hereinafter referred to as the Alliance). The Alliance aims to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the food supply chain, promote public health and nutrition level, and collaboratively build a China-ASEAN Food Safety and Nutritional Community. The Alliance will make effort to:

• Advocate for the establishment of a mechanism for multilateral cooperation and dialogue on food safety and nutrition policies, with regular exchanges to discuss revisions of laws and regulations, and of formulation and implementation of standards, aiming to promote regional coordination and mutual recognition of these regulatory approaches. Additionally, to promote the establishment of an information platform for food safety and nutrition regulations and standards, enhancing the sharing of regulatory and standard information among member countries.

• Collaboratively organize capacity building on food safety standards and risk assessment techniques, sharing advanced experiences in standard formulation and revision, as well as risk surveillance and risk assessment tools, to promote the application of new concepts and technologies.

• Jointly conduct nutrition surveillance, assessment, and intervention technical training and symposiums, to share advanced nutrition policy measures and action initiatives, and to promote the construction of nutrition service systems in the alliance. Meanwhile, to promote the application of new technologies and new products, injecting new vitality into the sustainable development of the food industry.

• Strengthen real-time sharing and communication of food safety information, including food safety risk surveillance data, emergency event information, etc. In addition, to enhance early warning collaboration among member countries, jointly develop food safety emergency response plans, and improve the ability to handle food safety emergencies.

• Advocate for enhanced cooperation among food industries, research institutions, and others stakeholders among member countries to jointly develop nutrition and health products that meet market demands, optimize resource allocation, and improve the overall competitiveness of the industry chain. Meanwhile, to strengthen coordination and collaboration in the food chain, in order to promote the nutritional transformation and upgrading, as well as the sustainable development of the food industry.

We believe that the establishment and operation of the China-ASEAN Food Safety and Nutrition Cooperation Alliance will further deepen cooperation between member countries in various dimensions, contributing the “China-ASEAN strength” to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. We look forward to the participation of more partners, jointly opening a new chapter in food safety and nutrition health cooperation, and making greater contributions to the health and well-being of people in the region and around the world.