Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Bee Products from Thailand to China

According to the regulations of the Chinese Customs and the Thai Ministry of Agriculture concerning the inspection, quarantine, and veterinary hygiene requirements for bee products, effective immediately, the import of Thai bee products that meet the relevant requirements is permitted.

I. Inspection and Quarantine Basis

(I) Laws and Regulations

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 Entry and Exit 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 Management of Food and Other Product Safety*, the *Measures for the Administration of Food Safety of Imported and Exported Food*, and the *Regulations on the Registration Management of Overseas Production Enterprises of Imported Food*, etc.

(II) Bilateral Protocols

The *Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of the Kingdom of Thailand on Veterinary, Food Hygiene, and Plant Protection Requirements for Thai Bee Products Exported to China*.

II. Products Permitted for Export

The Thai bee products permitted for export to China refer to honey, royal jelly, and bee pollen.

Honey refers to a natural sweet substance produced by bees from the nectar, secretions, or honeydew of plants, mixed with their own secretions, and fully fermented.

Royal jelly is a milky white, pale yellow, or light orange jelly-like substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker bees, primarily used to feed the queen bee and bee larvae.

Bee pollen refers to the male reproductive cells of flowering plants collected by worker bees.

III. Requirements for Processing Enterprises

Processing enterprises exporting bee products to China must be registered with Chinese Customs. The Thai Ministry of Agriculture verifies processing enterprises intending to export bee products to China, and recommends those that meet Chinese laws, regulations, standards, and the Protocol to Chinese Customs. Chinese Customs decides whether to grant registration based on the recommendations of the Thai Ministry of Agriculture. Unregistered bee product processing enterprises are prohibited from exporting bee products to China.

IV. Inspection and Quarantine Requirements

(I) Bees providing raw materials for bee products exported to China must meet the following conditions:

1. They must originate from apiaries located within Thailand, which must be registered with the local competent authority and be under effective supervision.

2. Bees must collect safe and non-toxic nectar, secretions, or honeydew from plants, and these nectar sources must not be from toxic nectar-producing plants or genetically modified plants.

(II) The Thai Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed that there is no honeycomb beetle disease (socket beetle) or bee scorching mite disease in the country.

(III) There must be no American foulbrood or European foulbrood larvae within a 5-kilometer radius of the apiary and within 12 months prior to the export of the product to China.

(IV) Quarantine requirements for Varroa diffusa (large Varroa mite):

Honey must meet the following requirements: the batch of honey must come from an apiary within a 5-kilometer radius that is free of Varroa diffusa within 12 months prior to the export of the product to China; or it must have been filtered using a filter with a mesh size of less than 0.42 mm; or it must have been treated with a core temperature of 50°C or higher for at least 20 minutes or a core temperature not higher than -12°C for at least 24 hours to ensure the elimination of Varroa diffusa, and necessary measures must be taken to effectively remove mite residues.

Bee pollen must meet the following requirements: The batch of bee pollen should originate from apiaries within a 5-kilometer radius that have been free of Varroa diffusa within the 12 months prior to export to China; or be treated at a core temperature not exceeding -12°C for at least 24 hours; or be dried using freeze-drying or an equivalent method to ensure the eradication of Varroa diffusa.

V. Certificate Requirements

Each container of bee products exported to China must be accompanied by at least one original health certificate, certifying that the batch of products complies with the veterinary and public health laws and regulations of China and Thailand, as well as the relevant provisions of the Protocol. The health certificate must be written in Chinese, the official language of Thailand, and English, and its format and content must be approved by both parties in advance.

The Thai Ministry of Agriculture should provide Chinese Customs with the following information for record-keeping: an imprint of the inspection and quarantine seal, a sample of the health certificate, a list of authorized visa officers and their corresponding signatures, and instructions on anti-counterfeiting measures. Any changes or alterations must be notified to Chinese Customs at least one month in advance.

VI. Production, Storage, Transportation, and Packaging Labeling Requirements

(I) Bee products exported to China must comply with relevant hygiene requirements of China and Thailand during processing and storage to prevent contamination by toxic and harmful substances. Bee products exported to China must not be processed or mixed simultaneously with products that do not comply with Article 4 of this announcement, products from non-registered processing enterprises, or other products from this registered processing enterprise. Proper labeling should be maintained at each stage from the apiary to processing, packaging, and storage. A separate, clearly marked warehouse or area should be established for storing exported bee products.

(II) Bee products exported to China must be packaged using food contact materials that comply with Chinese national food safety standards. The packaging must be sealed and labeled in Chinese with the product name, specifications, place of origin (state/province/city), manufacturer registration number, batch number, destination (the destination should be clearly stated as the People's Republic of China), production date (year/month/day), and shelf life. Prepackaged bee products exported to China must also comply with Chinese laws, regulations, and standards regarding the labeling of prepackaged foods.

(III) The packaging, storage, and transportation of bee products exported to China must comply with the relevant sanitary requirements of both China and Thailand to prevent contamination by toxic or harmful substances. After the goods are loaded into containers, they must be sealed with lead seals under the supervision of officials from the Thai Ministry of Agriculture. The seal number must be indicated on the sanitary certificate. The packaging must not be opened or replaced during transportation.

VII. Other Requirements

Chinese Customs will conduct inspection and quarantine on bee products exported to China. If any violations of relevant Chinese food safety laws and regulations, national food safety standards, or the provisions of the Protocol are found, Chinese Customs will handle the matter in accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations.

GACC