On January 15, 2020 (EST), China and the United States signed Economic and Trade Agreement Between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the United States of America in Washington. The agreements involving meat and poultry are as follows:

Annex 3. Poultry

1. The Parties shall sign and implement the Protocol on Cooperation on Notification and Control Procedures for Certain Significant Poultry Diseases within 30 days of the date of entry into force of this Agreement.

2. For those U.S. poultry and poultry products imported into China prior to January 1, 2015, China shall, within 30 days of the date of entry into force of this Agreement, issue, based on its previously-conducted assessment of the U.S. regulatory system, a final decision on whether to permit the importation of the product. China shall permit their importation consistently with existing bilaterally-agreed import protocols.

3. China shall maintain measures consistent with the 2018 World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code Chapter 10.4, or any successor provisions.

4. Within 30 days following receipt from China of a formal request for an evaluation of a region of China for avian disease free recognition and a completed information package to support such a request that addresses the eight factors outlined in 9 CFR Part 92, or any successor provisions, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) shall initiate such an evaluation.

Annex 4. Beef

1. The Parties shall continue implementing the 2017 Protocol for the importation of U.S. beef and beef products into China; however, this Agreement shall prevail over any requirements in the Protocol that are inconsistent with this Agreement. The two Parties may revise the Protocol according to this Agreement if appropriate.

2. China acknowledges that the United States has submitted all relevant and necessary information as requested by China to enable completion of a risk assessment related to the importation of all U.S. beef, beef products, and pet food containing ruminant ingredients. China shall, within one month of the date of entry into force of this Agreement, eliminate the cattle age requirements for the importation of U.S. beef and beef products.

3. China recognizes the U.S. beef and beef products traceability system. The U.S. Government, in accordance with U.S. regulations, continuously maintains measures, including for traceability, that meet or exceed OIE guidelines for maintaining negligible risk status for the bovine disease addressed in Chapter 11.4 of the 2018 OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code. Provided the United States maintains its OIE negligible risk classification for that disease, China shall not impose new import restrictions or requirements related to that disease on imports of U.S. beef. Should the United States’ negligible risk status change, China shall administer the regulations for imports of U.S. beef in accordance with the 2018 OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 11.4, Article 11.4.11 or any successor provisions.

4. Aiming to better meet Chinese consumers’ ever-growing needs for meat, within one month of the date of entry into force of this Agreement, China shall permit the importation into China of those beef and beef products, except for those listed in Appendix I (Beef, Pork, and Poultry Products Considered Not Eligible for Import into China), inspected by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in an FSIS-approved facility.

5. Within one month of the date of entry into force of this Agreement, China shall adopt maximum residue limits (MRLs) for zeranol, trenbolone acetate, and melangesterol acetate for imported beef. For beef tissues for which Codex has established MRLs for these hormones, China shall adopt the Codex MRLs. For beef tissues for which Codex has not established MRLs for these hormones, China shall adopt its MRLs by following Codex standards and guidelines and referring to MRLs established by other countries that have performed science-based risk assessments.

Annex 5. Live Breeding Cattle

1. Based on the request and information provided by the United States on February 13, 2019, and on March 6, 2019, the Parties shall, within one month of the date of entry into force of this Agreement, commence technical discussions on the preparation of a U.S. export health certificate and a protocol for the importation into China of U.S. breeding cattle, with a view to realizing trade as soon as possible.

Annex 6. Pork

1. The Parties intend to promote cooperative activities within the Global African Swine Fever Research Alliance (GARA) to share publicly-available scientific knowledge and information to contribute to the progressive control and eradication of African swine fever (ASF).

2. Aiming to better meet Chinese consumers’ ever growing needs for meat, within 10 working days of the date of entry into force of this Agreement China shall permit the importation into China of those pork and pork products inspected by the FSIS in an FSIS-approved facility.

Annex 7. Meat, Poultry and Processed Meat

1. Upon entry into force of this Agreement, China shall recognize FSIS oversight of U.S. meat, poultry meat, and processed meat and poultry meat facilities for purposes of allowing imports of U.S. meat, poultry meat, and processed meat and poultry meat.

2. Upon entry into force of this Agreement, China shall accept meat, poultry meat, and processed meat and poultry meat, except for those products listed in Appendix I (Beef, Pork, and Poultry Products Considered Not Eligible for Import into China), inspected by the FSIS in an FSIS-approved facility and accompanied by a FSIS Export Certificate of Wholesomeness (FSIS 9060-5/FSIS 9295-1).

3. Each time the United States provides China with an updated and complete list of FSIS-approved facilities, China shall, within 20 working days of receipt, publish the list on the GACC website and allow the importation into China of products from all facilities on the list.

4. China continues to have the right to audit the U.S. meat and poultry food safety regulatory system, including a representative sample of U.S. meat and poultry facilities, in coordination with the FSIS. Such auditing shall be risk-based. China also continues to have the right to conduct inspections of a risk-based selection of shipments of U.S. meat and poultry products at the port of entry. If China determines, based on scientific inspection, that a particular shipment of U.S. meat or poultry products is in violation of applicable food safety import requirements, China may refuse importation of that shipment. If China determines that there is a significant, sustained or recurring pattern of non-conformity with an applicable food safety measure by a particular facility, China may refuse to accept shipments from that facility until the problem is resolved. China shall notify the FSIS of such non-conformity. The Parties shall exchange information on their meat and poultry food safety regulatory systems and other public-health matters.

5. In consultation with U.S. experts, China shall conduct a risk assessment for ractopamine in cattle and swine as soon as possible without undue delay, and in a manner consistent both with Codex and FAO/World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) risk assessment guidance and with the risk assessment for ractopamine previously conducted by the FAO/WHO JECFA. The risk assessment shall be based on verifiable data and the approved conditions of ractopamine use in the United States. China and the United States shall establish a joint working group to discuss the steps to be taken based on the results of the risk assessment.

Annex 8. Electronic Meat and Poultry Information System

1. Aiming to streamline trade and deepen cooperation between the United States and China with respect to certification, the GACC shall work with the USDA to finalize the technical requirements for, and to implement, an electronic and automated system for China to access FSIS export certificates accompanying U.S. exports to China of meat, poultry, and meat and poultry products.

2. Provided the United States has implemented the system, and demonstrates the reliability and safety of the system, China shall also implement the system by February 2020. China shall accept via the system all information, including FSIS certificates, necessary to allow shipments of U.S. meat, poultry, and meat and poultry products into China and shall provide relevant certificate information in a timely manner to the Chinese port customs officials.

3. The USDA has a directive permitting replacement certificates in certain instances when appropriate. The GACC shall accept replacement certificates, provided that the FSIS ensures that replacement certificates are clearly identifiable. China shall accept replacement certificates issued by the USDA for situations that include the following:

(a) the original certificate did not contain required information;

(b) the original certificate contained typographical errors;

(c) the importer, exporter, consignee, or consignor changed, but is within the same country that appears on the original certificate;

(d) the certificate is lost or damaged; or

(e) the port of entry changed.