China Denies Imposing Restrictions on EU Imports

CHINA - China has never placed any restriction on pork imports from the European Union (EU), and its demand for health certificate from the EU imported pork was needed to prevent the spread of A/H1N1 flu, said Yu Taiwei, head of China's quality watchdog's food safety export and import bureau yesterday.

General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine launched on 18 September a measure requiring an additional testing on all pork meat from five countries including Denmark, France, Italy and Spain.

The EU's health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou was reported Wednesday as having interpreted China's requirement for strengthening inspection on A/H1N1 virus as "being protectionism".

"We still allow these countries to export pork to China, but only ask for a more intensified inspection," said Mr Yu.

Every country should guarantee the quality securities of its export products, which is its responsibility, according to Mr Yu.

China is a major consumer of meat products. It imported 1.84 million tons last year. The country has also become the world's leading meat producer, whose pork output stood at 44.59 million tons in 2008.