The State Administration for Market Regulation of China (SAMR), along with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), has announced a new international plan to verify food testing capabilities between China and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. This marks China’s first such laboratory capacity verification initiative targeting Belt and Road partner nations in 2025.
The initiative aims to deepen cooperation between China and Belt and Road countries, particularly in the field of food safety testing and inspection. At the end of 2023, supported by the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges, SAMR and UNIDO signed a collaborative project titled “Strengthening Inspection and Testing Institutions and Enhancing Trade Trust under the Belt and Road Initiative.” One of the core components of this project is organizing capacity verification activities for testing institutions.
Proficiency testing, a widely recognized international method for evaluating laboratory performance, helps identify discrepancies in equipment, interpretation of standards, and operational practices. It lays a solid foundation for mutual recognition of test results among participating countries, reduces resource waste caused by duplicate testing, and helps eliminate technical barriers arising from differing standards.
The newly announced food testing verification plan, starting in September 2025, is expected to improve consistency and equivalency in test results among laboratories in China and Belt and Road partner countries. This is expected to deepen cooperation in food safety regulation, enhance trade confidence, and strengthen consumer trust in product quality and safety.
In recent years, food trade between China and Belt and Road countries has expanded rapidly in both scale and variety. However, technical differences in laboratory capabilities and testing methods have led to recurring issues, such as food products being denied entry due to incomplete or inaccurate testing. Heavy metal contamination and excessive veterinary drug residues are among the major compliance challenges facing food exports to China.
Focusing on these issues, SAMR and UNIDO will implement an international proficiency testing plan targeting three heavy metals — lead, cadmium, and chromium — and the antibiotic chloramphenicol. The program will be technically supported and implemented by the Testing and Evaluation Center of the China Academy of Inspection and Quarantine. The aim is to align testing standards, reduce trade disruptions, and enhance cooperation in the global food safety arena.