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BEIJING
has lodged a diplomatic appeal for the
Philippines
to lift the ban on the popular White Rabbit candy that
was found to contain cancer-causing formaldehyde, a
chemical used to embalm and preserve laboratory
specimen.
Foreign
Minister Yang Jiechi raised the matter with Foreign
Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo at the sidelines of the
recently concluded 14th Asean Regional Forum held in
Manila.
China is one of the dialogue partners of the bloc along
with Japan and South Korea.
Yang
said the Philippine ban on the White Rabbit candy and
snack crackers from China has serious repercussions on
the image of China, the biggest exporter of manufactured
food products, textiles, and electronics to the 10
member-countries of the Asean.
“I grew
up eating the White Rabbit candy,” said Yang, as quoted
by a diplomatic source, who requested anonymity. He then
told Romulo, “We want to appeal the ban on the White
Rabbit candy as well as other products coming from
China.”
What
Romulo said in return was not immediately known.
The
Philippine Bureau of Food and Drugs ordered the ban last
month when laboratory tests showed contamination with
formaldehyde, which in humans can also cause stomach
bleeding.
China
is one of the biggest Philippine trading partners with
trade volume reaching $9.4 billion in 2003, or 81 per
cent more than 2002’s $5.2 billion in favor of the
Philippines.
Philippine top exports to
China
include semiconductors, copper cathodes, machinery parts
and accessories, fuel oils, petroleum naptha, fresh
bananas, and crude coconut oil.
China
on the other hand sells various products to the
Philippines—semiconductors,
electronic parts and accessories, motor spirit, gas oil,
wheat, coal fertilizer, and crude liquefied butane.
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