China is crafting new safety rules for oral care products, state media reported Wednesday.

A set of "strict certification and evaluation procedures" are being drawn up by China's Health Ministry and the China Certification and Accreditation Administration, the China News Service said, citing an announcement made during a national symposium. No other details were given.

Last month, the Health Ministry's spokesman, Mao Qun'an, said at least two new regulations were being considered focusing on certification and inspection standards.

The administration's Web site said the new rules would "improve the quality, safety and hygiene of oral health care products."

A spokeswoman from the administration, which overseas certification of Chinese products, confirmed the regulations were being drawn up and said the administration had asked for public opinions last year. She declined to give her name and asked that additional questions be faxed.  

Chinese officials have said tests carried out in 2000 by Chinese experts proved that toothpaste containing less than 15.6 percent DEG was harmless.

Chinese authorities have vowed stronger safety measures while highlighting problems with imports from other countries.

China's food safety watchdog said Tuesday that 19.1 percent _ about one-fifth _ of products made for domestic consumption were found to be substandard in the first half of 2007. Canned and preserved fruit and dried fish were the most problematic, primarily because of excessive bacteria and additives, the agency said.

Though the survey covered many different products, it focused on food, common consumer goods, farming machinery and fertilizers.

A top quality official also defended the safety of exported food.

"Ninety-nine percent of food exported to the United States was up to safety standards over the past two years, which is a very high percentage," Li Yuanping, who is in charge of imported and exported food safety, was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.

In response, China's quality administration issued a number of new measures designed to ensure the quality of exported farmed seafood, telling its local bureaus to "fully understand the side effects and major loss of the U.S. decision to the Chinese seafood industry."

In addition to stepped-up inspections and quarantine, the agency said it would post on its Web site the names of companies that violate regulations and ban them from export activities for two years.