According to reporting from ChinaDaily, Chinese lawmakers are reviewing a draft amendment to the Food Safety Law, which was established in 2009 for the purposes of "ensuring food safety and safeguarding public health and safety."

Revised in 2015 and amended in 2018 and 2021, the Food Safety Law establishes provisions for food safety monitoring and risk assessment, food safety standards, inspection standards, imports and exports of food products, addressing food safety lapses, and other concerns related to food safety.

The proposed amendments to the Food Safety Law are targeted at addressing key food safety issues and regulatory oversight of the country's food industry. Key issues include improved oversight of bulk road transport of liquid foods, new registration requirements and technical standards for liquid infant formula producers, and harsher penalties for food safety violations, among others. 

With regard to bulk transport of liquid foods, Chinese media reports over the past year have exposed the use of tanker trucks for transporting both chemical liquids (such as coal-to-liquids) and food products like soybean oil, without adequate cleaning between shipments. To address this problem, the draft amendments to the Food Safety Law propose the introduction of a licensing system for the road transport of bulk liquid foods. The licensing system would ensure that operators are compliant, employ trained personnel, and utilize containers that meet food safety standards. It would also impose harsher penalties (including monetary fines) for illegally transporting liquid food, including the transport of food without a permit.

The draft amendments were submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on June 24 for review.

In April 2024, China also released 47 new or updated food safety standards covering food additives, nutritional fortification substances, milk powder, food contact materials, microbial testing methods, and testing for arsenic and nickel.