The programme, which has been running for more than a year, is intended to lead to Chinese authorities banning all animal testing for toiletries, lipsticks, moisturisers and other beauty products.
At present, it is a legal requirement in China for imported cosmetics to be tested on animals – mostly mice or rats, but also rabbits and guinea pigs. Britain banned the practice in 1998, while the European Union did so in 2013. Artificial skin cells are now used for safety tests.
Products made in Europe have to be retested on animals in China – a major market for western firms – before they can be imported. As cosmetic companies and animal welfare groups have pointed out, this is a waste of time, money and animal life.
China has started to investigate ways to replace animal testing and has sought the assistance of British scientists. The move is a part of the growing cooperation between the two countries that was formally agreed between David Cameron and China’s president, Xi Jinping, during a state visit to Britain last month.
“We need to help the Chinese to get to a place where it is safe for them to stop using animals in testing,” said Judy MacArthur Clark of the Home Office’s animals in science regulation unit.
“Their consumers have to know they will be safe to use cosmetics, even though they are no longer being tested on animals.”
Last year, scientists from the unit helped set up an international conference on animal welfare in Beijing. This was followed up with a UK visit by Chinese researchers last December. Last week, MacArthur Clark and her team visited Beijing to help with training.
“In future, there will be more cooperation and more help from us,” she said. “It is clear that the long-term aim of the Chinese is to change their legislation so that animals are no longer used to test the safety of cosmetics there. It will not take place overnight but I am confident it will happen.”
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