BEIJING - A week-long publicity campaign was launched Monday in China to promote honesty in the food industry after a series of food safety scandals.

Under the theme of "building a homeland with moral integrity and strengthening food safety," various departments at all levels around the country will hold activities to show the results of their work in strengthening food safety and cracking down on major food safety cases.

Moreover, activities will be held to raise food producers' and dealers' awareness of relevant laws and regulations, as well as boost their level of honesty and enhance their credibility.

Authorities have called for keeping a harsh attitude toward illegal activities in the food industry, and making morality and integrity education among professionals in the food industry a regular task.

Vice-Premier Li Keqiang said in written instructions to the campaign that as food safety is a basic and important issue that affects every family and every individual, the honesty of the entire food industry must be improved and crimes involving food safety should be strictly punished.

Li urged relevant departments to make innovations in the form of activities during the publicity week and to build a long-term system to improve honesty in the food industry through the participation of the whole society.