December 25, 2003

China Joins Other Nations in Banning Import of US Beef Products

China's Quarantine Administration decided early Thursday to ban imports of beef products from the U.S. following the discovery of a cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, in Washington state, said an administration official in Beijing.

On Wednesday, 10 other nations have banned U.S. beef imports within 24 hours after the discovery of the disease was officially announced.

The Chinese official, who deals with the quarantine of meat products at the quarantine administration, known officially as the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, or AQSIQ, said the ban took effect immediately.

It is unclear when the ban will be lifted.

"We will wait until the epidemic sees an end...Before we launch the technical testing on U.S. beef products for a possible resumption of imports, the U.S. government needs to submit an application to the Chinese government clarifying whether U.S. beef is safe for human consumption," the official said.

Since 1996, mad-cow disease has killed 153 people around the world, but has never been found in the U.S.

China is not a major buyer of beef and beef products in the global market.

Earlier this year, U.S. and Canadian industry officials expected China to import a total of 30,000 metric tons of beef in 2004.

China's official figures for this year's beef imports were not immediately available.