China is being pressurised by the U.S. government to improve the safety of it's food exports.
The topic has become a hot potato in the country following the revelation that a toxic chemical was discovered in imported pet food; this resulted in the death of some pets.
The Bush administration has called on senior Chinese officials to bolster the safety of food exports.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt speaking at what is being termed as a "strategic economic dialogue" involving scores of senior officials from both countries, said the recent events have highlighted concerns over the safety of food and medicine.
The safety of food imports from China have been questioned since melamine, a chemical used in plastics and fertilizers, was found in U.S. pet food this year, killing pets and prompting wide recalls.
Then it was discovered that pet food scraps were used in some livestock feed which for a time stalled the sale of some poultry, pigs and fish.
Along with other recent food scares in the States, this latest melamine incident has created concerns about other Chinese goods and raised doubts about how well the U.S. government is monitoring food safety.
The issue has also become a contentious one in the complex relationship between the two nations.
The U.S. wants more transparent food regulations and to be able to send U.S. teams to China to check conditions and the talks are expected to continue throughout the week.
According to Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns the Chinese government recognises the world marketplace will penalise any nation, economy or company that is not able to establish a sense of confidence and reliability.
The Agriculture Department monitors the safety of some food imports such as poultry and meat, while the Food and Drug Administration regulates fruit, vegetables and many domestic and imported processed foods.
Experts say China presents problems regarding food safety as they do not appear to have any type of internal oversight which can be relied upon.