The United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), in its continuing efforts to create long, lasting relationships with organizations and companies in China, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement with the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Medicines and Health Products (CCCMHPIE).
 
CCCMHPIE is a leading and influential national trade association in China with a mission to promote international trade and cooperation in medicinal and health products. CCCMHPIE, directly under the Ministry of Commerce of China, has a diverse membership of more than 2,400 companies, including most of the major manufacturers and trading companies of pharmaceutical and health products across China.
 
The partnership agreement with CCCMHPIE promotes Sino-U.S. trade and is designed to assist in improving the quality of the ingredients and products from China. Additionally, the agreement aims to facilitate the development of the Traditional Chinese Medicine, dietary supplement, and natural health products industries in both China and the U.S.
 
“We are very impressed by the CCCMHPIE professionalism, the speed at which it works, and its clear maturity and experience in dealing with foreign governments, trade associations, and scientific and technical bodies,” said Loren Israelsen, UNPA president.
 
“It is the working equivalent of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce plus the Department of Commerce interface between government and industry,” he added. “We have several specific activities we are working on together, which we’ll announce in the coming weeks. This will be a very productive MOU relationship for UNPA and the U.S. dietary supplement industry.”
 
“For international companies, the greatest barrier is that they don’t have sufficient knowledge about the Chinese market, the law, regulations and standards in China,” said Zhongpeng Zhang, director of the National Technical Service Center for Trade at CCCMHPIE. “To enter the Chinese market, companies have to understand the policy environment, market needs, and habit of use in China.”
 
UNPA now has in place 15 MOU agreements, which allow the organization to organize its key objectives and work plans through partnerships that bring expertise, influence, and trusted reputations. By laying out its joint objectives via an MOU, UNPA is able to serve the needs of its members and its industry stakeholders with greatest effect and efficiency.