China has suspended poultry and poultry product imports from 14 countries where bird flu cases were reported, a government notice says.

The import suspension was imposed on October 28, according to the notice published on the website of the Ministry of Commerce Tuesday, November 1.

The 14 countries are Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Japan, North Korea, Romania, Croatia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Mongolia, Turkey, Russia and Sweden, according to the notice jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture, the General Administration of Customs and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

The notice says the import suspension is meant to prevent the infection of animal epidemics as bird flu, to protect the health of the people and guarantee the safety of China's animal husbandry.

The suspension will be valid until further notice.

Late last month, China also reported three bird flu outbreaks in Inner Mongolia, Anhui Province and Hunan Province, which have been brought under control. The Chinese government said there is no report of any human infection of bird flu.

(China Daily November 2, 2005)