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SCMP Reporter

Live chickens are still being sold at the border between Guangxi and Vietnam despite the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu on both sides.

The mainland strengthened border controls in all cities and towns neighbouring Vietnam after the disease led to deaths across the frontier.

On Tuesday, Beijing confirmed the mainland's first case of H5N1 in Dingdang, Guangxi.

At the market in Puzhai, one of the largest border trading spots,  mainland health authorities posted notices at checkpoints warning people not to bring in poultry from Vietnam.

Customs officers checked all vehicles and carts  to ensure no birds were being smuggled in.

But just a few steps away from the checkpoints, vendors were selling live chickens. The traders, who were not wearing masks or gloves, said their birds were raised locally and were healthy.

Local people say the outbreak has had little impact on their business. But the usually bustling market in Puzhai was strangely quite yesterday, as most traders had returned home for the Lunar New Year holidays.

A mainland customs officer said the border had been reopened on Wednesday after being closed briefly during the holiday period.

'Vietnamese are mainly bringing local fruit and food here to sell. We won't allow poultry products in but other foods are okay,' he said.

At the Friendship Checkpoint, mainland holidaymakers returning from Vietnam yesterday said they have been instructed to take preventive measures.

Derek Wang, a mainlander returning after a holiday, was not worried about catching the disease.

'Customs  officers told us about the outbreak and taught us  preventive measures. We were told not to touch any birds or bring any poultry back to China,' he said.

At the town of Nonghui, controls were  more relaxed. Vietnamese traders carrying a variety of goods across the border were seldom stopped or checked.

The border checkpoint, situated in a narrow mountain valley, was lightly guarded, the two sides divided by a makeshift iron gate.

Locals said many Vietnamese smuggled illicit products into the mainland at night, including exotic wild game.

'At night they  have wild game on sale. But nobody would bother to smuggle in chickens.  They are too cheap,' said a taxi driver.



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