SCO Cooperation Conference on TAD Joint Prevention and Control held in Xi’an

Minister Ni Yuefeng addressed the conference

SCO Cooperation Conference on TAD Joint Prevention and Control, co-hosted by GACC, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Shaanxi provincial government was held in Xi’an during May 12-13.

With the theme of One World, One Health, the conference was aimed at safeguarding human health, food safety, safety of animal and animal products and ecological safety through policy exchanges on TAD prevention and control and the building of cooperation mechanisms.

Mr. Ni Yuefeng, Minister of GACC, addressed the conference. He pointed out that China’s gate will never be shut, but open even further to the outside world, as connectivity and integrated development is an inevitable choice for common development. Being committed to promote steady and sustained trade growth among SCO members， GACC will strengthen TAD prevention and control cooperation for cross-border trade safety while furthering implementation of the relevant cooperative agreements concluded earlier between the former AQSIQ and its foreign counterparts.

Minister Ni made the following proposals at the meeting. Firstly, contribute to an open global economy and build a community of shared future through dialogues, exchanges and cooperation on economic globalization, trade liberalization and clearance facilitation. Secondly, make joint efforts to safeguard animal health, strengthen policy coordination, increase understanding of each other’s system and apply standards set by relevant international organizations. Thirdly, promote trade facilitation through cooperation among the SCO members on standards and testing technologies.

Mr. Umirzak shukeyev, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said in his opening remarks that sharing experience will benefit everyone since each member has its unique success stories. Other speakers at the opening ceremony are Mr. Liu Guozhong, Shaanxi Governor, Mr.Yu Kangzhen, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ms. Minara Rakhanova, representative of the SCO Secretariate.

During the conference, Joint Declaration of SCO Cooperation Conference on Joint Prevention and Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases was passed, calling for dialogues, exchanges and cooperation, concerted efforts to address challenges and strengthen TAD joint prevention and control, and contribution to a biosecurity passway. The conference also delivered the Cooperative Memorandum of Joint Prevention and Control and Quarantine Technology of Transboundary Animal Diseases among Departments of SCO Members, which is planned to be signed at the SCO Summit in Qingdao this coming June.

At the conference, the “SCO TAD Monitoring Platform” was launched to lead the work of TAD risk analysis and warning.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Zhang Jiwen, Vice Minister of GACC and attended by over 150 representatives from the SCO member states, observer states, dialogue partners, international organizations, embassies in China and regions including Hong Kong and Macao SARs.