The Beijing Summer Olympics will offer a rare opportunity for foreign participants to enjoy authentic, top-grade Chinese food, which they simply can't afford to miss, China's top quarantine control official said in Beijing on Thursday.

"I believe all (foreign) participants to the Games will see this as a good opportunity to enjoy authentic Chinese food, which they won't let go. So I don't believe they will carry their own food with them," Li Changjiang, head of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), told a press conference on the sidelines of the parliament session.

In response to a question whether foreign sports delegations or individual athletes could enjoy some special treatment regarding carrying food into China during the Games, Li said that Chinese laws clearly ban food imports from areas under quarantine restrictions.

"The AQSIQ will handle food brought in from those areas in accordance with the law," he added.

Earlier at the press conference, Li said that the Chinese government attaches great importance to food safety for the Olympics, and has taken effective measures to "prevent any possible mishap from happening."

"All food supply for the Games must meet the highest international safety standards and pass strict quality checks," he said.

"We sincerely hope that when athletes, coaches, friends from the media, and tourists from all over the world come to China for the Games, they could enjoy the high-level sports competition, also have a good taste of the best Chinese cuisine," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency, March 13, 2008)