Restaurant and catering associations in China should issue regulations against food waste, according to an official statement.

Jointly released by the Ministry of Commerce and the General Office of Central Commission for Guiding Ethic and Cultural Progress, the statement points out that food waste can still be found in restaurants and cafeterias.

Besides establishing regulations, the "clean your plate" campaign that aims to put an end to extravagant banquets should also be continued, the statement said.

Since the campaign was launched in 2013, it has gradually evolved into a trend among both officials and the general public, and curbing "waste at the tip of the tongue" has also become a catchphrase in China.