Chinese government admits fault in milk scandal

Beijing: Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said that the government is partly responsible for the tainted milk scandal that left tens of thousands of children ill.

In an interview published in the Science Magazine, Wen said that the government feels "great sorrow" over the contamination, which has been blamed for the deaths of four babies.

"We feel that although problems occurred at the company, the government also has a responsibility," Wen said.

A Chinese version of the interview in the People's Daily newspaper quoted Wen as saying the government had been lax in "supervision and management."

Authorities have blamed dairy suppliers, saying they added the industrial chemical melamine to watered-down milk to dupe quality control tests.

Health experts say ingesting a small amount of melamine poses no danger, but in larger doses, the chemical can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure.

Since the latest scare, milk-linked products from China have been withdrawn from stores in dozens of countries as governments increase vigilance and step up safety tests.

On Saturday, Taiwan's health authorities said it is banning imports of ammonium bicarbonate—a rising agent used in baking—from China after it tested positive for melamine.