African Swine Fever Confirmed in Vietnam: From Now On, Bringing Pork from Vietnam into Taiwan Carries a Fine of 200,000
According to information released by the Vietnamese government, cases of African swine fever have been confirmed in northern Vietnam, making Vietnam an African swine fever-affected country and the third in Asia after China and Mongolia. The Central Emergency Operation Center for African Swine Fever issued an urgent notice this evening (the 19th) stating that from midnight tomorrow (the 20th), anyone bringing pork products into Taiwan from Vietnam will be fined 200,000 for a first violation and 1 million for a second violation; foreign nationals who have not paid the fine in full will be handed over to the National Immigration Agency and denied entry.
African swine fever outbreak occurs in northern Vietnam
According to information from Vietnam's animal health authorities, the African swine fever cases in Vietnam occurred at three pig farms southeast of the capital, Hanoi, and the Vietnamese government has already culled the pigs at the affected sites. Vietnam has officially become an African swine fever-affected country, the first country in Southeast Asia to have an outbreak and the third case country in Asia (the first two being China and Mongolia).
Before Vietnam officially announced the outbreak, Taiwan seized a pork sandwich brought in from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, at Tainan Airport on February 5. After testing, it was confirmed on the afternoon of February 15 to be infected with African swine fever. This was Taiwan's first interception at the border of African swine fever-infected meat entering from outside China.
Chen Chi-chung, minister of the Council of Agriculture, said that after the meat tested positive, the information was passed to the Vietnamese authorities through Vietnam's representative office in Taiwan and was also reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) office in Tokyo. In addition, since the 15th, all border points for entry into Taiwan from Vietnam have implemented thorough hand-carry luggage inspections one by one.
Outbreak also occurs in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
China recently claimed externally that the African swine fever outbreak has eased, but judging from the number of meat products intercepted at Taiwan's border, the outbreak in China has still not been brought under control. China's Ministry of Agriculture Veterinary Bureau website announced today that an African swine fever outbreak has occurred in Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In total, mainland China has had 110 cases across 26 provinces / cities / regions, showing that the outbreak in mainland China has not yet been effectively controlled.
Do not bring meat products into Taiwan from Vietnam; violators must pay a 200,000 fine
The Central Emergency Operation Center for African Swine Fever stated that, in accordance with Article 45-1 of the Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases and the penalty standards announced by the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine on December 18, 2018 (Republic of China year 107), from midnight tomorrow, inbound travelers who are caught illegally bringing pork products into Taiwan from Vietnam will be fined 200,000 for a first violation and 1 million for a second violation; foreign nationals fined 200,000 who are unable to pay the fine in full will be handed over directly to the National Immigration Agency and denied entry on the spot.
The Emergency Operation Center reminds travelers going between Taiwan and Vietnam not to illegally bring pork products into Taiwan from Vietnam.