Press Releases

Transcript on recall of pork by Shenzhen

Following is a transcript (English) of the Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mr Eddy Chan, on the recall of pork by the Shenzhen Municipal Government at a media session at West Wing, Central Government Offices today (August 15):


Reporter: (Update of Shenzhen�K ?)


Mr Chan: We have since yesterday been in contact with the relevant authorities in the Mainland including the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) as well as the Guangdong health authorities and the Shenzhen Municipal Government with regard to the issue on recalling pork in Shenzhen. We have obtained information from the relevant authorities in the Mainland that there is no outbreak (of Streptococcus suis) in Henan Province. There is also no abnormal or unusual circumstance in the Guangdong area concerning whether there is any human infection of Streptococcus suis. We have been told that all the frozen pork which has been imported to Hong Kong had gone through very stringent process of inspection and quarantine and so we have been assured that the imported pork should been safe for human consumption. We have also been in touch with the Shenzhen Municipal Government to ascertain the reasons for recalling pork in Shenzhen and we have not yet been able to obtain detailed information with regard to the reasons for the recall. In view of the fact that we do not have sufficient information on hand with regard to the reasons for the recall and in the light of the confidence of the Hong Kong people with regard to the safety of pork imported to Hong Kong, we feel that it would be an appropriate decision not to process applications for the importation of frozen pork from Henna province and also from Shenzhen.


Reporter: (Notification system with the Mainland authorities?)


Mr Chan: We have already a notification system with the Mainland concerning infectious diseases and also concerning food safety matters. We have already established a very good liaison mechanism with the Mainland authorities. With regard to the reasons for recalling pork in Shenzhen, I think we have to appreciate that these pork products have not been imported to HK. So basically, these are for domestic consumption. What we are really concerned about is the supply of food to Hong Kong �V matters concerning the supply of food, the supply of live animals and also the supply of frozen food products. These are all under a very well mechanism of liaison and notification.


(Please refer to the Chinese portion)



Ends/Monday, August 15, 2005

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