China's General Administration of Customs Photo:VCG

China has prohibited the direct or indirect imports of pigs, wild boars and their related products from the Philippines, as the Philippines recently reported an outbreak of swine fever to the World Organisation for Animal Health, CCTV News reported on Thursday.

According to the report, the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said that the move aims to prevent the spread of the epidemic and safeguard the safety of China's livestock industry and biosecurity. The announcement took effect from the date of its issuance.

The mailing or carrying of pigs, wild boars and their related products from the Philippines into China is also prohibited. Any such items discovered shall be returned or destroyed without exception, said the report.

In addition, animal and plant-derived waste and swill unloaded from inbound means of transport from the Philippines shall be subject to disinfection and disinfestation treatment under customs supervision and shall not be arbitrarily discarded. 

Pigs, wild boars and their related products from the Philippines that are intercepted by border inspection and other authorities as illegal entries shall be destroyed under customs supervision without exception, per the report.

Anyone who violates the provisions shall be handled by the customs in accordance with the relevant laws including the Customs Law and the implementing regulations. Customs authorities at all levels and agricultural and rural affairs departments at all levels shall closely cooperate with each other to effectively carry out quarantine, epidemic prevention, and supervision work, said the report.

Global Times