China probes distributor of toxic additive

China is investigating a state-owned trading company’s role in tainted medicine that killed at least 94 people in Panama, an official said Monday, as the European Union urged Beijing to be more vigilant about product safety.

The developments came as Beijing battled international mistrust about Chinese exports found to contain potentially toxic chemicals and additives.

Last week, quality officials announced that they had shut down Taixing Glycerin Factory, which made the chemical linked to the deaths in Panama.

The head of the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, Li Changjiang, said the state-owned distributor, CNSC Fortune Way, was being investigated too.

EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva, after meeting with Li, said Beijing should improve its product safety monitoring and provide more information about the measures it takes against manufacturers of fake or shoddy exports.