Increased international exchanges and cooperation are required to improve food safety, according to senior officials at the eighth Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum in Beijing on Thursday.

"With economic globalization, food safety is a global issue and can only be ensured with the adoption of unified global standards," Zhang Baowen, vice-chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said during a keynote speech at the forum.

"Countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative can increase exchanges and cooperation to promote standardization in agriculture and food safety, and promote their trade among the nations involved."