US, Britain join countries sounding alarm over China food import rules
- Envoys from seven economies, including Australia, Canada and the EU, expressed their concerns in an October 27 letter to Customs Minister Ni Yuefeng
- The letter signals mounting frustrations among China’s foreign suppliers, as ships carrying food prepare to leave ports without knowing if they’ll be able to offload their cargo
Diplomats from seven economies, which also include Australia, Canada, the European Union and Switzerland, expressed their concerns in an October 27 letter to Customs Minister Ni Yuefeng, according to a copy seen by Bloomberg News.
They were objecting to a pair of decrees handed down in April that require food importers to meet sweeping new registration, inspection and labelling requirements by January 1.
“Despite significant outreach by our respective governments to the General Administration of Customs of China, there remains a significant lack of clarity regarding GACC’s implementation of these decrees, including the products subject to these provisions and the specific actions requested of foreign authorities,” the diplomats wrote.
“Products for importation into China will soon be shipped, therefore decrees 248 and 249 risk disrupting global food supply chains and delaying food supply into China,” they said.
The diplomats sought the agency to delay the food-import measures for “at least 18 months”.
Neither the General Administration of Customs or the Foreign Ministry responded on Monday to requests for comment.
