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 General Administration of Customs Announcement No. 98 of 2026

(Announcement on the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Imported Wild Aquatic Products from Africa)

In accordance with relevant laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China and based on risk assessment, wild aquatic products originating from African countries with diplomatic relations with China that meet the relevant requirements specified below are permitted to be imported into China.

I. Basis for Inspection and Quarantine

(1) The Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and its Implementing Regulations, the Entry-Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine Law of the People's Republic of China and its Implementing Regulations, and the Import and Export Commodity Inspection Law of the People's Republic of China and its Implementing Regulations.

(2) The Measures for the Administration of Import and Export Food Safety of the People's Republic of China and the Provisions of the People's Republic of China on the Registration of Overseas Production Enterprises of Imported Food under Customs Supervision.

II. Scope of Imported Products

Wild aquatic products as specified in this Announcement refer to edible wild aquatic animal products and their processed products, as well as marine plant products such as algae and their processed products for human consumption. They do not include amphibians, reptiles, aquatic mammals, live aquatic animals, and aquatic animal and plant propagation materials.

III. Requirements for Production Enterprises

Overseas production enterprises (including production, processing and storage enterprises) exporting wild aquatic products to China shall be approved and effectively supervised by the competent authorities of the exporting countries (hereinafter referred to as the "official authorities of exporting countries"). The food safety, sanitation management and protection systems of such enterprises shall comply with the requirements of relevant Chinese laws, regulations and rules on food safety.

Enterprises engaged in the production of wild aquatic products for export to China shall be recommended and registered with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as "China Customs") by the official authorities of exporting countries. No unregistered enterprise shall be allowed to export products to China.

IV. Requirements for Imported Products

The official authorities of exporting countries shall ensure that wild aquatic products exported to China meet the following conditions:

(1) The products are legally caught in domestic or international waters.

(2) The raw materials and finished products are free from the following circumstances:

1. The wild aquatic products exported or to be exported to China from the exporting country have violated relevant Chinese food safety laws, regulations, national standards and the provisions of this Announcement, causing serious impacts on the safety of wild aquatic products exported to China;

2. The exporting country has experienced outbreaks of aquatic animal diseases relevant to the products specified in this Announcement that are listed in the List of Entry Animal Quarantine Diseases of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Disease List") or notifiable diseases stipulated by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), which have seriously affected the safety of wild aquatic products exported to China;

3. Major food safety incidents have occurred in the exporting country, major public health incidents have occurred in relevant production enterprises, or fishing waters have been contaminated by pollutants, resulting in serious impacts on the safety of wild aquatic products exported to China.

(3) No drugs or additives prohibited by China are used directly or indirectly in the products, and drugs or additives restricted or permitted for use in China are applied in accordance with relevant regulations.

(4) The products have been inspected and quarantined by the official authorities of exporting countries, and are free from pathogenic microorganisms, toxic and harmful substances and foreign matters specified in Chinese laws and regulations, as well as aquatic animal diseases listed in the Disease List and notifiable aquatic animal diseases stipulated by WOAH.

(5) All production links including fishing, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, transit and export comply with China's relevant safety, sanitation and traceability requirements.

(6) The packaging, labelling and marking of products comply with national food safety standards and relevant administrative provisions on imported food safety in China.

V. Certificate Requirements

The official authorities of exporting countries shall conduct inspection and quarantine on wild aquatic products exported to China in accordance with China's requirements, and issue a mutually confirmed sanitary certificate for each batch of such products, certifying that the products comply with the relevant provisions of Chinese food safety laws, regulations and national standards.

The sanitary certificate shall be printed in at least Chinese and English, with English as a mandatory language for filling in.

The sanitary certificate shall fully disclose the information of production enterprises of wild aquatic products exported to China. The official authorities of exporting countries shall timely submit certificate specimens and official seals to China Customs for filing. In case of any changes, the official authorities of exporting countries shall complete the filing with China Customs at least one month prior to the effective date of the changes.

VI. Import Inspection, Quarantine and Disposal of Non-compliant Products

China Customs shall conduct inspection and quarantine on wild aquatic products exported to China in accordance with relevant Chinese food safety laws, regulations, national standards and the provisions of this Announcement.

Any non-compliant products shall be disposed of by destruction, return shipment or other mandatory measures. For production enterprises with serious problems or repeated non-compliance issues, China Customs may take measures including enhanced inspection and quarantine supervision or suspension of import access.

VII. Other Requirements

The inspection and quarantine requirements for imported wild aquatic products from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, Djibouti and Mozambique shall be implemented in accordance with Announcement No. 34 of 2022, No. 121 of 2022, No. 146 of 2024, No. 147 of 2024, No. 148 of 2024, No. 46 of 2026 and No. 58 of 2026 of the General Administration of Customs.

Hereby Announced.

Interpretation

Following the market access of dried chili peppers, cashews and coffee beans, this move marks the full quarantine access of agricultural products from African countries with diplomatic relations with China. This regulatory model firmly safeguards public safety risks, resolves the market access issues for African wild aquatic products in a one-stop manner, and fully unlocks the potential of China-Africa fishery trade.

At present, wild aquatic products from seven African countries including Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Madagascar, Djibouti and Mozambique have obtained export access to China. More than 10 other African countries such as Morocco, South Africa and Senegal have successively submitted applications for exporting aquatic products to China.

Core Provision: Overseas production enterprises must be recommended and registered with the General Administration of Customs by official authorities of exporting countries. Enterprises are not allowed to apply for registration on their own, and all registrations must go through official government recommendation channels.

Recommendations for Importers

1. Verify Enterprise Registration: Confirm that the overseas production enterprise has completed registration with the General Administration of Customs before shipment. Products from unregistered enterprises are prohibited from import.

2. Check Product Scope: Verify that the imported products fall within the permitted scope of wild aquatic products specified in this Announcement.

3. Complete Supporting Certificates: Each batch of goods must be accompanied by an official sanitary certificate issued by the exporting country, which is printed in both Chinese and English with mandatory English content.

4. Track Policy Updates: African countries are endowed with abundant marine resources, and the fishery industry serves as a core economic pillar for many African nations. Importers are advised to keep track of the latest announcements and policy updates issued by the General Administration of Customs.