Introduction and Methodology

This chapter focuses on outlining the general trajectory of China food, drug, cosmetics and medical device regulation, including its themes and history. This area of regulation has grown considerably in volume and complexity in the twenty-first century in response to public health challenges, particularly in the areas of food and drug safety, and the desire to provide higher quality health and wellness resources to people and to build modern food and health care industries that focus on promoting innovation. This chapter also outlines the further content of the book, which will cover the mechanics of this area of regulation.