December 19, 2022

 

China-New Zealand joint forum aims to boost cooperation in fighting livestock diseases

 

The first China-New Zealand Dairy Diseases Control Training Forum was held on December 17 in Beijing, China, and was focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in combating major livestock disease.

 

Li Haihang, an official at the Department of International Cooperation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said this year marks the 50th anniversary of China-New Zealand diplomatic relations. Bilateral cooperation in various fields has achieved commendable achievements, and pragmatic cooperation in the agricultural field has become a highlight, Li said.

 

Through joint efforts, the two sides have achieved remarkable win-win cooperation achievements in the dairy industry, planting industry, horse industry, agricultural technology, animal husbandry, fishery and agricultural product trade, he said via a video link.

 

The forum is one of the concrete manifestations of the above-mentioned pragmatic cooperation and experts from both countries should continue to contribute to the long-term and high-level pragmatic cooperation between China and New Zealand in the field of agriculture, he added.

 

He Ying, the Chinese Consulate General in Christchurch, New Zealand, said with the development of people's living standards in China, the demand for dairy product has increased in the country, offering new impetus for the development of the animal husbandry industry and dairy products.

 

Therefore, dairy disease control is of great significance to safeguarding the safety of the agricultural and animal husbandry industry, food safety and animal safety in China, she said.

 

As a country with advanced development in the agricultural and animal husbandry industry, New Zealand has successfully realised the control of dairy disease, so China can learn from New Zealand's expertise in the sector, He said.

 

Bilateral cooperation in dairy disease control can help China to control such diseases and promote the country's rural vitalisation drive and expand pragmatic cooperations between the two countries, she added.

 

Zhou Degang, deputy director of Beijing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, said this training forum bridged an understanding of sustainable development in the dairy industry between China and New Zealand, and strengthened the co-operation for animal health and trade on animal products, as well as breeding livestock.

 

He Cheng, professor at China Agricultural University's College of Veterinary Medicine, China-ASEAN Innovative Academy for Major Animal Disease Control, hosted the training programme. Experts from the two countries shared views on a wide range of topics, including the eradication of bovine brucellosis in New Zealand, mastitis management in dairy farms in New Zealand and control measures for emerging and complicated diseases in dairy industries around Beijing's countryside.

 

- China Daily