China’s General Administration of Customs Photo:VCG
Six Chinese government departments including the General Administration of Customs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources, jointly issued a list of key invasive alien species for control at ports for the first time. The list will take effect on May 1 this year, China Media Group (CMG) reported on Wednesday.
This list is formulated in accordance with China’s Biosecurity Law, based on years of customs interceptions at ports, and after multiple rounds of rigorous scientific assessment and evaluation by experts. It represents the first batch of invasive alien species that will be subject to enhanced control at ports due to their potential invasion risks. The list covers 21 genera or species across four categories — insects, mollusks, fish, and amphibians. These alien species have no natural distribution in China. Once introduced and established, they are highly likely to disrupt ecological security and biodiversity in China, causing serious ecological damage and significant economic losses, said the report.
After the implementation of the list, any unauthorized introduction of the alien species listed therein without approval will be subject to penalties by Customs in accordance with the law, per the report.
According to the CMG, in the first quarter of this year, the General Administration of Customs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, issued import bans targeting foot-and-mouth disease, highly pathogenic avian influenza, and other major animal epidemics from eight countries.Â
During the same period, Chinese customs authorities detected animal diseases and plant quarantine pests at ports on 12,000 occasions, a year-on-year increase of 15.6 percent. They also seized 1,163 batches of invasive alien species, up 5.9 percent, returned or destroyed 394 batches of substandard imported agricultural products, and suspended the qualifications of 169 overseas agricultural enterprises to export to China. These measures have effectively prevented the introduction of animal and plant epidemics as well as invasive alien species, said the report.
Global Times