Jiang Zengwei, the vice minister of China's Ministry of Commerce, said that the use of disposable wooden chopsticks should be halted and that stricter disinfection standards should be put in place for the food industry.
Jiang said he hoped that relevant agents and departments would consider his suggestion and provide guidance in stopping the use of disposable wooden chopsticks. Jiang stressed that the conditions are now right to abolish disposable chopsticks in fixed food venues, but these environmentally unfriendly implements could still be allowed in other places such as bus termini, railway stations, and ferry piers.
Jiang disclosed that Ministry of Commerce would spend three years setting up a batch of staple food processing centers in major cities across China to help supply breakfasts for city dwellers. Jiang said that Ministry of Commerce would also work with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China to issue documents to regulate the development of the country's catering industry.
