October 5, 2007

China lifts ban on Indonesian seafood

China has lifted an embargo on Indonesian seafood, ending several months of dispute over food safety between the two countries, an official of the maritime and fisheries ministry said.

There has been no official announcement of embargo lifting but the Chinese government has quietly allowed Indonesian fishery products to enter its market, Breeding Fishery Director General Made L. Nurjana said.

Chairman of the association of fishery companies Herwindo said the embargo was lifted in mid September following a visit by an Indonesian government delegation.

Customs examination, however, will be tighter in line with Chinese government policy ahead of the Olympic Games to be held in Beijing next year, Herwindo said.

Indonesia would also tighten its regulations and procedure for fish export to China, he added.

A senior official of the trade ministry Agus Tjahjono said the delegations of the two countries would meet again this month to harmonize regulations on food safety standards.

China banned Indonesian seafood, citing quality problems after the latter announced it had found Chinese candies contaminated with dangerous chemicals. China insisted the candies were not made in China.