Representatives from the European Fine Chemicals Group (EFCG), which represents almost 50 chemical firms across Europe, announced during last week's CPhI conference in Milan the formation of the group's newly introduced China-focused council, the result of increased interest among manufacturers in taking advantage of this emerging low-cost region amid increasing calls to tighten regulations on pharmaceutical ingredient suppliers in the wake of the recent safety concerns emanating from low-cost regions such as China and India.

However, EFCG task force suggested that the actions of some organisations that play on the emotions of consumers and scaremonger to damage the reputation of the Chinese manufacturing sector are "not at all constructive" and they serve to further sully the waters between manufacturing regions.

"If you dig deep down, very often you either have European traders involved, or you have heads of purchasing that are so aggressive in getting 'cheap' that people will cut corners," said member of the EFCG's China taskforce and Hovione CEO, Guy Villax.

"The attentive observer will see that China has moved forward by leaps and bounds and has tried very very hard to improve its standards."

The Chinese regulators, perhaps spurred on by bad press in the West, have indeed surged forward with new requirements so much so that the Chinese regulatory conditions now go well beyond those in Europe, said Villax.

With Asia playing an ever-increasing role in the sourcing of pharmaceutical products and manufacturing activities for European companies, it is understandable that EU bodies want to improve relations between the two regions and help ensure that substandard products do not get released onto the market.

Villax' aim is to establish relationships with like-minded bodies over in China, and promote an understanding that ensures it is facts that drive opinion and decisions, rather than emotive outbursts from organisations with an agenda.

"We are not anti-Asia," Villax stated emphatically.