China’s Commerce Leader Admits Wet Markets Not ‘Up to Standard’

Australia's trade minister says China's commerce leader has not returned his calls

A Chinese vendor sells shrimp and prawns at a wet market in Beijing on July 19, 2007. Teh Eng Koon/Getty Images

The Chinese leader in charge of commerce, Zhong Shan, has conceded that wet markets in China may not be up to standard, meanwhile, the Australian Trade Minister’s attempts to speak with Zhong go unanswered.

At a press conference in Beijing on May 18, Zhong admitted: “In communities, there are wet markets of varying sizes and patchy quality, overall the standards are not very high.”