June 13, 2005

USDA: AQSIQ comments on recent U.S.-China BSE and bird flu meetings
 

On June 8, China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) issued a website notice, commenting on the U.S.-China BSE and Avian Influenza Technical Talks held in Beijing between May 31 and Jun 2. AQSIQ indicates that it needs more technical exchanges with the USDA on BSE concerns.

The U.S. team at the meeting was headed by USDA's Under Secretary Bill Hawks and consisted of FAS, APHIS, FSIS and FDA officials. AQSIQ's Vice Minister Ge Zhirong led the Chinese side, which consisted of AQSIQ officials and China's Ministry of Agriculture. Also present were four Chinese BSE scientists who participated in a BSE technical study in the U.S. last fall.

The focus of the meetings in the first two days was on the BSE measures that the U.S. has taken and the safety of U.S. beef.

The U.S. side explained the importance of the U.S. beef access issue, and that the U.S. had tested over 370,000 cattle for BSE with no positive results. The U.S. experts also addressed Chinese technical concerns regarding BSE. 

While unwilling to make any commitments regarding the removal of China's current BSE-related import suspension on U.S. beef, AQSIQ and MOA participants did agree to submit any additional questions in writing.

Though AQSIQ's comments on the meetings are positive, China indicates more bilateral exchanges are needed to discuss BSE concerns.

For the full USDA report, click here.