Food Safety and the Development of Regulatory Institutions in China

Consumer safety has become an increasingly salient issue for China's rising middle class and regulatory state. This article elucidates the challenges of regulatory development in China through a study of food safety regulation, paying special attention to a scandal involving the sale of fake and sub-standard milk powder. It highlights some of the deficiencies of the regulatory regime and addresses some salient issues concerning regulatory state building, including the regulatory chasm between urban and rural areas, the appropriate role of the state in socioeconomic regulation, the uncertainties created by government reforms, and the conflict between food safety and employment.