That move came as U.S. officials wrapped up a visit that coincided with the recall of nearly 1 million Chinese-produced toys tainted with lead paint.

U.S. health officials visited Beijing this week to work on agreements to improve safety of food, animal feed, drugs and medical devices amid a flurry of recalls or warnings about Chinese-made goods in the United States and elsewhere.

The two sides will work more closely on product safety and would seek to sign cooperation agreements as soon as possible, according to statements from China's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"Our vision ... aims to increase cooperation and information-sharing between the U.S. and Chinese governments on these safety issues," Mike Leavitt, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, said in his agency's statement issued late Thursday.