NZ PM to apologize in China over milk scandal  

(ECNS) -- New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said on Tuesday that he will visit Beijing later this year to personally apologize to Chinese consumers over the Fonterra milk botulism scandal, according to Agence France Presse (AFP) on Tuesday.

In a TV interview, Key acknowledged it was unusual for a state leader to say sorry on behalf of a private company, but he said the reputation of Fonterra was closely tied with that of New Zealand as a whole.

"Fonterra is a private company owned by, largely, dairy farmers of New Zealand," Key said. "But it is a really important part of the New Zealand economy..

"It's just going to be important in Chinese culture that I go up there and offer an apology," he added.

Key also said he won't visit Beijing immediately, because he wanted to wait until a government inquiry into the botulism scare was completed so he would have the answers to questions from consumers in China.

Key announced on Monday that the New Zealand government will set up a ministerial commission of inquiry to conduct a thorough investigation into the Fonterra dairy botulism contamination cases.

He expressed his hope that the inquiry can be completed before the end of the year, when he is expected to go to China and personally communicate the results of the investigation to the Chinese government and consumers, in order to restore Chinese consumers. confidence in New Zealand dairy products.