Forum discusses collaboration on animal husbandry between China, ASEAN

The first China-ASEAN forum of Veterinary Vaccine and Veterinary Drugs was held on Saturday in Beijing, launching collaboration of veterinary technologies and discussing the industry of animal diseases control with ASEAN counterparts.

Speakers from China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as countries including Pakistan and Egypt, shared information about the industry of animal diseases control and the registration of veterinary products.

More than 30 representatives from 20 Chinese companies participated in the offline meeting and 29 international companies were invited to the simultaneous online meeting.

Liu Yingjie, vice-chairman of China Association of Agricultural Leading Enterprises, said the symposium will provide technical support to the industrial development in the region and contribute knowledge and wisdom for international trade of animal husbandry.

"The veterinary medicine and vaccine industry plays an important role in promoting the international trade of livestock and poultry product, narrowing the trade gap," Liu said.

Hu Hongbin, vice-chairman of the China Veterinary Drug Association, said the symposium will help Chinese veterinary enterprises to learn about the market demand and related policies in ASEAN countries.

"It is also an opportunity for ASEAN countries to know the capacity and the quality-control ability of Chinese veterinary medicine companies," Hu said.

The veterinary drugs industry in China tops the world in terms of the number of enterprises and the production volume.

"We are capable of providing high-quality animal drugs to other countries, boosting the bilateral trade."

China ran an agricultural trade deficit of $94.7 billion last year, according to data released by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs. 

"Veterinary medicine sector can be a bright spot of export in agriculture," Hu said.

China has donated 200,000 doses of inactivated vaccines of foot-and-mouth disease, worth 2 million yuan($308,000), to Cambodia amid foot-and-mouth outbreak across ASEAN earlier this year.

He Cheng, host of the forum and a professor at China Agricultural University's College of Veterinary Medicine, said donations of foot-and-mouth and HS vaccines made by Jinyu Bio-Technology and China Agricultural Vet Biology and Technology, helped local farmers control the two major cattle diseases and contributed to their poverty alleviation.

"Meanwhile, the veterinary vaccines and drugs China provided to ASEAN countries will help ensure the safety of imported livestock and poultry in China," He said.

Last year, the first Forum of Veterinary Medicine and Vaccine across Lancang-Mekong area was held to talk about animal population, emerging animal diseases and registration requirements in the countries involved.

More than five of China's beef companies are willing to invest in livestock farms in Laos and Myanmar, and the first batch of live cattle were exported from Laos to China in April, He said.