China noticed that the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has given the United States a new "controlled risk" status for mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in a press briefing.

"We always respect the decisions made by the OIE, but China has its own national conditions," said the diplomat. "We believe that the mad cow issue is very sensitive and expect the experts from the two sides can discuss the issue and find a solution as soon as possible."

He also said this second meeting of U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue, which was concluded on Wednesday, has strengthened mutual understanding and trust between the two countries.

The OIE, a Paris-based standards body, adopted a resolution on Wednesday recommending that the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Chile and Brazil be recognized as having "controlled" risk status for mad cow disease.

Shortly after the OIE ruling, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns urged U.S. trading partners to reopen export markets to the full spectrum of U.S. cattle and beef products.

Source: Xinhua