Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Plant-Derived Medicinal Materials from Russia to China

According to relevant Chinese laws and regulations, the "Protocol on Plant Quarantine Requirements for the Export of Russian Botanical Herbal Medicines to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of the Russian Federation" and the "Supplementary Protocol to the Protocol on Plant Quarantine Requirements for the Export of Russian Botanical Herbal Medicines to China between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of the Russian Federation (May 24, 2023)", from now on, Russian botanical herbal medicines that meet the following relevant requirements are allowed to be imported.

I. Quarantine Basis

(1) Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China;

(2) Law of the People's Republic of China on Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and its Implementing Regulations;

(3) Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Entry and Exit Chinese Medicinal Materials Quarantine;

(4) Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of the Russian Federation on Plant Quarantine Requirements for the Export of Russian Botanical Chinese Medicinal Materials to China;

(5) Supplementary Protocol to the Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of the Russian Federation on Plant Quarantine Requirements for the Export of Russian Botanical Chinese Medicinal Materials to China (May 24, 2023).

II. Names of Goods Allowed for Entry

The botanical Chinese medicinal materials in this announcement refer to 24 medicinal plant products such as Saposhnikovia divaricata that are wild or cultivated in Russia.

III. Enterprise Registration

The production, processing and storage enterprises of Chinese medicinal materials exported to China shall be reviewed by the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of the Russian Federation and approved for registration by the Chinese Customs. Registration information includes name, address and registration number, so as to accurately trace the source when the exported goods do not comply with the relevant provisions of this announcement. Before the start of trade, the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Service shall provide the registration list to the Chinese Customs, which will be published on the customs website after review and approval by the Chinese Customs.

IV. List of quarantine pests of concern

The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Service shall ensure that Chinese herbal medicines exported to China do not carry quarantine pests of concern to the Chinese Customs.

V. Pre-export management

(1) Production and processing requirements.

1. The Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Service shall implement comprehensive management measures to prevent and limit the spread of quarantine pests of concern to the Chinese Customs in the production and preparation sites of Chinese herbal medicines.

2. Chinese herbal medicines exported to China should be cleaned of soil and impurities and dried.

3. Chinese herbal medicines exported to China should be packaged by enterprises using new and non-toxic materials. The packaging should indicate the Chinese herbal medicine's trade name, Latin name, weight, company name, address and registration number, product storage conditions, processing and packaging date (year/month/day) and destination and other relevant information in Chinese and English.

(2) Pre-export quarantine and certificate requirements.

1. Chinese herbal medicines that have passed the quarantine of the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Service are allowed to be exported to China.

2. Chinese herbal medicines exported to China should be accompanied by a plant quarantine certificate issued by the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Service in accordance with international standards. The plant quarantine certificate shall indicate the company name, registration number, container or transport vehicle number and other information, and shall state in the additional statement: "The consignment complies with the requirements of the Protocol between the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China on the Phytosanitary Requirements for Plant-Derived Medicinal Materials for the Chinese Medicine Exported from the Russian Federation to the People's Republic of China, and does not contain any pests of quarantine concern for the People's Republic of China."

VI. Entry quarantine and unqualified treatment

When Chinese medicinal materials exported to China arrive at the Chinese entry port, the Chinese Customs shall implement quarantine in accordance with the following requirements.

(1) Certificate verification.

1. Verify whether it is from a registered enterprise.

2. Verify whether the plant quarantine certificate is authentic and valid.

(2) Cargo inspection.

According to the relevant laws, administrative regulations, rules and regulations, and in combination with Articles 4 and 5 of this Announcement, quarantine will be implemented on the imported Chinese medicinal materials, and they will be allowed to enter the country after they pass the inspection.

(3) Handling of unqualified products.

1. If it is found that the products are not accompanied by a valid plant quarantine certificate or come from an unregistered enterprise, the batch of goods will be returned or destroyed.

2. If soil is found, the batch of goods will be returned or destroyed.

3. If it is found that the products contain quarantine pests, live insects, weed seeds, plant residues and other impurities that are of concern to the Chinese Customs, the batch of goods will be returned, destroyed or treated for pests. Goods that pass the treatment will be allowed to enter the country.

4. If other unqualified situations are found, they will be handled in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of China.

If the above-mentioned violations are found, China Customs will promptly inform the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Service of the violations found and the measures taken. If violations occur multiple times, China Customs may decide to suspend the import of Chinese medicinal materials from the relevant enterprises and immediately notify the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision Service.

GACC

May 20, 2025

Types of plant-derived Chinese medicinal materials exported from Russia to China and the list of quarantine pests of concern to China