BEIJING (Bloomberg) — China will set up a mechanism for reporting any problems with the country's food safety, said the Chinese vice premier, reiterating that the government wants any trade disputes over product quality to be resolved through talks.

"China's productivity is low and there's uneven development among the different regions," Wu Yi said at a conference in Beijing.

"With international collaboration, we hope to elevate China's food production to a whole new level, which will be good news for consumers all over the world."

China is trying to repair damage to the "Made in China" brand with a crackdown on unsafe products after tainted pet food, drug-laced seafood and lead-painted toys sold globally were linked to Chinese manufacturers this year.

China's goals include licensing manufacturers, sanitation tests and packaging certification.

Officials have insisted that foreign media have exaggerated quality problems.

China has also stepped up inspections of foreign imports.