Cold chain imports from India, Russia and Argentina test positive for COVID-19 in one day in China, the Global Times reported Wednesday.
Two packages of frozen butterfish from India, one packaging sample of Russian frozen salmon, and two samples of frozen beef from Argentina tested positive for COVID-19, according to the report.
Chinese officials said traces of coronavirus were found in packages from 20 countries.
This is the second time Chinese officials have claimed to have found coronavirus in Indian fish exports.
On November 13, the General Administration of Customs of China suspended seafood imports from an Indian company for a week from Friday after COVID-19 was found on the outer packaging of some samples of frozen cuttlefish.
On November 16, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern questioned claims by Chinese officials that her country’s meat products had traces of coronavirus.
“This is incredibly important to New Zealand. We are confident that our products are neither exported nor exported with signs of COVID, given our essentially COVID-free status, “Ardern said.
When asked about his reaction to criticism from New Zealand and other countries that China’s latest COVID-19 restriction on imported goods is not based on science and threatens to disrupt trade, the Foreign Ministry spokesman China’s Zhao Lijian said the accusations are totally unfounded and unreasonable. .
“While the global COVID-19 pandemic remains serious, the competent authorities of the Chinese government have taken necessary, reasonable and justified testing measures on imported food in the spirit of putting people’s lives and health first.” he said at a press conference here Wednesday.
“We will adjust the relevant measures in due course in light of the development of the epidemic situation and the need for prevention and control,” Zhao said.
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