China Implements New COVID-19 Food Importation Measures

Both fresh food importers in China and exporters in foreign countries shall sign a food safety commitment prior to all trade activities. In addition to the regulations in China, food enterprises shall also comply with the guideline released by the WHO. GAC will suspend the importation accreditation of overseas fresh food enterprises when COVID-19 clusters occur. A mandatory coronavirus testing on fresh foods will be implemented at the port.

Due to the Beijing COVID-19 cluster ^[1] and high-profile outbreaks in global food facilities ^[2], such as Tyson's factories in the U.S. and Pepsico in Beijing, China is now implementing new requirements during the importation of food.

Food Safety Commitment & GAC Coronavirus Testing

As revealed by insiders ^[3], on the evening of June 18, many food importers in China (mainly importers of aquaculture, beef & mutton, fruit, and wine products) received a food safety commitment declaration from local GAC authorities. GAC required these importers to sign the document, thereby agreeing to comply with several new criteria. Exporters in foreign countries will also be required to sign the declaration.

* Template of the commitment (English Version)

Based on the content of this document, China mainly raised a new requirement that, in addition to the regulations in China, food facilities shall further comply with the guideline jointly released by WHO and FAO (COVID-19 and food safety: guidance for food businesses ^[4]) to ensure the food is not contaminated*.

*Note: To enterprises with COVID-19 clusters, GAC will suspend the importation accreditation of corresponding facilities to reduce the risk. E.g., it temporarily stopped the poultry importation from a facility of Tyson on June 21, 2020. ^[5]

Furthermore, imported fresh foods will also receive mandatory coronavirus testing at ports, including imported meat, aquatic products, dairy products, fruits, etc. (Read more here ^[6])

Will China suspend food importation?

During a State Council Press Conference held on June 19 ^[7], the vice director of the GAC’s Department of Health Quarantine emphasized that according to the WHO, there is currently no evidence that food is a transmission route of the virus. Furthermore, according to the coronavirus testing result released by GAC on June 18, all the sampled imported fresh foods tested negative.

Hence, due to the negative coronavirus testing and insufficient evidence for a relationship between the spread of Covid-19 transmission and food, for the time being, it is unlikely China will suspend food importation.