August 30, 2013
The Chinese and Vietnamese authorities have reached an agreement on measures to control animal diseases crossing the border between the two countries,In order to safeguard animal and human health.
A model for disease prevention and control cooperation based by establishing "epizones" was proposed. Under this model, the two sides can take a series of measures including joint epidemiological survey and disease monitoring, effectiveness evaluation of immunisation programmes and information sharing to reduce risks of trans-boundary animal diseases such as avian influenza, foot and mouth disease and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), and improve animal health and public health in border areas.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Director General of MOA Veterinary Bureau Huang Weizhong and Director General of Department of Animal Health of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (MARD) Pham Van Dong.
In recent years, large numbers of animals and animal products have been traded across the long border between China and Viet Nam, which not only increased the risks of trans-boundary animal diseases but also added to the difficulty and complexity of joint prevention and control in border areas.
Based on the Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation to Prevent and Control Trans-boundary Animal Diseases in the Greater Mekong Sub-region signed in 2005 and the bilateral agreement on animal health and quarantine signed in 2008, the veterinary bureaux of the two ministries signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Animal Health Cooperation in 2012, which clarified bilateral cooperation in the veterinary sector.
The veterinary authorities in Guangxi and Yunnan provinces have undertaken dozens of technical cooperation projects to Viet Nam, training technical staff for their neighbouring provinces in Vietnam and setting up test stations for prevention and control of animal diseases.
The meeting served as a comprehensive summary of China-Vietnam veterinary cooperation in recent years and will promote practical and effective cooperation in the veterinary sector in the future.
