Notice on Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Imported Vietnamese Bird’s Nest Products

        In accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations and the Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine and Sanitary Conditions of Bird’s Nest Products exported from Vietnam to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, from now on, Vietnamese bird’s nest products that meet the requirements are allowed to import:

        I. Basis for inspection and quarantine

        (1) Laws and regulations and departmental rules.

        The Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and its Implementing Regulations, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Import and Export Animal and Plant Quarantine and its Implementing Regulations, the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection and its Implementing Regulations, the Special Provisions of The State Council on Strengthening the Supervision and Administration of Food and Other Product Safety, And “Import and Export Food safety Administration Measures” and “Import Food Overseas Production Enterprise Registration Administration Provisions”, etc.

        (2) Bilateral Protocols.

        Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine and Sanitary Conditions of Bird’s Nest Products Exported from Vietnam to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

        II. Scope of permitted import of Vietnamese Bird’s nest products (hereinafter referred to as “products”)

        “Product” means bird’s nest and its products, which are formed from the saliva of swiftlets and similar swallows, have been removed from dirt and feathers and are suitable for human consumption.

        III. Requirements of product manufacturers

        The production and processing of the products must comply with the relevant inspection and quarantine and food safety regulations of China and Vietnam. The Yan house of the product shall be registered by the competent authorities of the Vietnamese side and reported to the Chinese side. The processing enterprises of the products must be registered in accordance with the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Registration of Overseas Producers of Imported Food, and only those processing enterprises registered in China are allowed to export products to China. The processing enterprises should have the ability to carry out effective sanitary treatment of bird’s nest products.

        IV. Requirements for inspection and quarantine

        (1) The Vietnamese side shall confirm the epidemic situation of avian influenza and Newcastle disease in its territory and report to China that no highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease have been reported in the area where Yanwu is located in the past 12 months.

        (2) Vietnam shall establish an epidemic prevention and health management system for Yan House; Develop operational procedures for health control of bird’s nest harvesting and transportation; To formulate and implement annual animal disease control plans and toxic and harmful substances control plans related to quarantine, hygiene and food safety of exported bird’s nest products, among which the annual disease control plans shall include control plans for avian influenza and Newcastle disease of a reasonable number of swiftlets whose houses have been reported to the Chinese side.

        (3) The Vietnamese side shall establish a traceability system of bird’s nest from the swallow house to the export to ensure traceability and recall related products in case of problems to the registered swallow house.

        (4) Import of bird’s nest products (except ready-to-eat bird’s nest products that have been deeply processed and made into cans, etc.) shall be subject to quarantine examination and approval system, and shall not enter the country without approval.

        (5) The products are produced and processed under an effective quality system and have undergone effective thermal processing without being contaminated by any pathogen that may harm poultry and human health and meet the requirements of laws and regulations of the Vietnamese side and the Chinese side; Effective sanitation has been implemented; The outer packaging and transport containers have been disinfected.

        V. Requirements for product certificates

        Each lot should be accompanied by a Certificate of Origin and an original Veterinary Health Certificate. The veterinary health certificate shall be written in Chinese and English, and its format and content shall be approved by both parties in advance.

        The veterinary health certificate issued by the Vietnamese side shall indicate:

        (1) Yan House registration number, processing enterprise registration number, product raw material source.

        (2) Necessary precautions have been taken to prevent the product from coming into contact with all sources of avian influenza virus。

        (3) The products shall comply with Chinese laws and regulations and relevant standards and requirements.

        (4) suitable for human consumption.

        VI. Product packaging and labeling requirements

        The product must be packed with new materials that meet international hygiene standards. The product name, weight, name and registration number of the Yan House, name, address and registration number of the processing enterprise, storage conditions and production date of the product and other relevant information shall be marked in both Chinese and English on the inner and outer packages. The labeling of the product information shall comply with Chinese laws and regulations and relevant standards and requirements. The labels of pre-packaged products shall comply with the requirements of Chinese laws, regulations and standards on the labels of pre-packaged food.

Article source：General Administration of Customs