January 21, 2004

China Shuts Vietnam Border On Bird Flu Fears

A southern Chinese province has closed all the trade ports along its border with Vietnam to guard against bird flu, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.

Yunnan province has shut the more than 40 trade ports along its 740 mile border with Vietnam and set up quarantine checkpoints, the report said, citing the provincial agricultural department.

China's central government has already banned chicken imports from Vietnam as well as Japan and South Korea.

In Yunnan, local officials said any chickens from Vietnam would be confiscated and immediately burned, Xinhua said, adding that more than 100 chickens have been burned so far.

No cases of bird flu have been reported in China. The disease has killed at least five people in Vietnam.