Officials from China and ASEAN countries reached a Nanning
Consensus Thursday to strengthen inspection and quarantine
cooperation and speed up the establishment of China-ASEAN Free
Trade Area.
The five-point Consensus, reached at the China-ASEAN Forum on
Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Cooperation on the China-
ASEAN Expo, are as follows:
--We all recognized that protection of human, animal and plant
health, environment and consumer's rights, and products quality
assurance are of great importance and our responsibilities are
heavy, so that it is necessary for us to strengthen inspection and
quarantine cooperation.
--We also recognized that inspection and quarantine laws and
regulations, standards and procedures certainly influence
international trade. Therefore information exchange and compliance
with principles of transparency, harmonization with international
standards, equivalence, regionalization, multilateral and bilateral
mutual recognition and accreditation are desirable in order to
avoid unnecessary obstacle to international trade.
--We recognized the importance of strengthening inspection and
quarantine cooperation between China and ASEAN countries. In order
to contribute more to the economic development and the
establishment of China-ASEAN FTA, we need to establish mechanism of
consultation and cooperation so as to further strengthen full-
ranged cooperation on inspection and quarantine. Such mechanism may
help to minimize unauthorized movement of high risk agriculture
products in respect of pests and diseases and food borne illness
agents. --We recognized the importance of inspection and quarantine
technical cooperation and capacity building, and will cooperate
more closely in this respect. --We recognized the need to sign the
Memorandum of understanding (MOU) between China and ASEAN on
inspection and quarantine cooperation. And we will promote and
further the cooperation in the spirit of friendship and mutual
benefit including mutual recognition arrangement (MRA).
China and ASEAN are making great efforts to build a China- ASEAN
free trade area by 2010. Experts predicted the trade volume between
the two sides to reach US$200 billion by 2008. More frequent trade
and personnel exchanges require China and ASEAN countries to
provide more effective entry and exit inspection and quarantine
work.
"The consensus will enhance common understanding and cooperation
between China and ASEAN in entry and exit inspection and quarantine
area, promote discussion among China and ASEAN countries on global
public health issues and will play a bigger role in preventing
spread of epidemic diseases and promoting development of
China-ASEAN trade," said Ge Zhirong, vice director of the General
Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of
China on the forum.
(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2006)