A perspective and reflection on Chinese food from the public management perspective

Abstract

In an era of rapid globalization and an increasingly modernized risk society, risk control faces more complex challenges. The transitional period in Chinese society itself has certain flaws that amplify the threat of risks to social security while weakening the effectiveness of risk control during the transitional phase. It can even be argued that the flaws inherent in transitional societies are significant sources of risk themselves. Risks in modern society exhibit characteristics such as suddenness, uncertainty, and structural fractures. With the continuous expansion of the public domain and increasing complexity of public affairs in China during the transitional period, the societal structure is gradually shifting from management to governance, driven by practical considerations for maintaining political stability. From the perspective of public management, facing the severe issue of food safety under the dual pressures of the impact of risk society and the instability of the transitional period, it is insufficient to rely solely on traditional risk control concepts and methods. Instead, there is a need to promote the democratization of professional knowledge through the improvement of legal mechanisms, communication mechanisms, and interest mechanisms. This ensures the democratization of professional knowledge, fosters the development of "citizen science," and guarantees the public's right to participate, including the rights to be informed about risks, freedom of choice, and the right to knowledge participation. Thus, it rebuilds public trust in the social system, genuinely safeguarding the "safety on the tip of the tongue."