US to set up import safety panel

A US import safety panel is to be set up on the order of President George W. Bush following a string of concerns about tainted goods shipped by China, the Financial Times reported. The panel, chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt and comprising various government agencies, will report to the White House in 60 days. The recent scares involving Chinese-made products or ingredients – including wheat gluten, dog food, toothpaste, seafood and toys – has raised questions about the US Food and Drug Administration's ability to keep pace with growing imports. Meanwhile, Chinese government inspectors said the tires made by a Hangzhou firm currently facing a recall in the US do meet American safety standards.