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Original Caption: The United States and Canada Misrepresent China’s Inspection of Imported Food, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Relevant Measures Are Absolutely Necessary
[环球时报记者张旺 陈欣]The epidemic prevention measures taken by China to protect people’s lives and health have been distorted as “trade restriction measures”. Reuters said on the 18th that many countries have become increasingly “dissatisfied” and “disappointed” with China’s testing of imported food and its packaging for the new coronavirus. The United States Department of Agriculture said on the 17th that it had asked China through bilateral channels and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure that its measures “adequately assess the real risks, especially in the case of unreasonable restrictions. to trade “. Canada’s report earlier this month Similar views were expressed at the WTO meeting. “While the global situation of the new corona pneumonia epidemic remains dire, the Chinese government authorities are based on the concept of the supremacy of life, focus on the effective protection of people’s health, and adopt the relevant inspection measures for imported food. This is completely necessary, reasonable and justified. “Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on the 18th.
Reuters reported on the 18th that, according to China’s report, they have detected the new corona virus in the packaging of imported products in about 20 countries, including German pork, Brazilian meat and Indian fish. Some foreign officials believe that China has not provided the relevant inspection evidence. In this case, the strict control of imported food is “unreasonably damaging” the business activities and reputation of related countries. At a WTO meeting earlier this month, Canada referred to China’s actions as “unjustified trade restriction measures.” This argument is said to have been supported by Australia, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said on the 17th that after the outbreak of the epidemic in Beijing’s Xinfadi market in June, China has stepped up inspections of imported food from the cold chain. On Monday, New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern “questioned” China’s test results. The city of Jinan previously stated that the new coronavirus had been found in New Zealand frozen meat. Ardern said he is confident that there are no viruses in food exported from his country. The United States Department of Agriculture said on the 17th that China’s actions “have no scientific basis” and “risk disrupting trade.” Some European officials have said that exporters need more information on Chinese test methods and results.
But in fact, in many Chinese notifications about the detection of viruses in cold chain food packaging, the time, location, basic patient information and activity trajectories, and even the amount are listed in great detail. of products involved, the company, etc. information.
In response to the relevant allegations made by the US Department of Agriculture, Zhao Lijian said on the 18th that it was “unfounded and totally unreasonable.” He said that China will adjust relevant measures in due course in accordance with the development of the epidemic situation and prevention and control needs.
According to ABC reports, China stated in its response to the WTO that its “temporary actions” were “based on scientific evidence” and aimed at “protecting people’s lives and health to the greatest extent possible”. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention previously isolated a new live coronavirus from the outer packaging of imported frozen cod. This is the first time that the new coronavirus has been isolated in the outer packaging of cold chain foods in the world, confirming that contact with the outer packaging contaminated by the new coronavirus can cause infection.
Some foreign academics also believe that cold chain transportation carries the risk of a new coronavirus infection. According to a British Financial Times report on 18, an article published in August this year by Fischer, an infectious disease expert at the National University of Singapore, found that frozen food is likely to cause new infections in areas where it has been controlled. the new corona pneumonia epidemic. A round of epidemic. Temayer, president of the Singapore Asia-Pacific Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, told AFP on 18 that the spread of a new coronary pneumonia through frozen food in several countries is “possible, but has not yet been realized. a complete study. “
“According to the rules of international trade, business activities must comply with the epidemic prevention and food safety requirements of other countries,” Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the Research Institute of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, told the Global reporter. Times on the 18th. Judging from the actual situation in China, there are indeed many There have been cases where confirmed cases of new coronary pneumonia are related to cold chain foods. Individual countries and the media should not politicize procedural issues.
On the night of the 17th, Tianjin added a new confirmed case of new coronary pneumonia and asymptomatic local infection, both were porters of a frozen food company, workers and roommates of the 93 asymptomatic infection in Tianjin. That same day, Quanzhou and Fujian notified the discovery of the new coronavirus on the outer packaging of imported food, from India and Argentina respectively. On the 18th, Wuhan reported that the city had detected the new coronavirus on the outer packaging of beef imported from Brazil.
