The IPPC High-level Symposium on Cooperation of Phytosanitary Measures among the Chinese InitiativeOne Belt Countries held in China

Participants at the IPPC High-level Symposium on Cooperation of Phytosanitary Measures among the Chinese Initiative One Belt Countries. © FAO

27 May 2019, Xi an, China - China s One Belt and One Road initiative seeks to boost development and trade links between Asia, the Pacific, Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. In order to continue facilitating trade while preventing the spread of plant pests and diseases, an IPPC High-Level Symposium on Cooperation for Phytosanitary Measures among the Chinese Initiative One Belt Countries was organized in Xi an, China from 27 to 30 May 2019.

The Symposium was opened by Mr Jingyuan Xia, IPPC Secretary, and coordinated by Mr Marko Benovic, Budget and Planning Officer of the IPPC Secretariat. The welcome addresses were delivered by several senior officers from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) of China, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) of China, the Administration of Forestry and Grasslands (AFG) of China, and the Agriculture Department (AGD) of Shaanxi Province.

The Symposium was attended by over 40 participants and observers from 22 countries in Africa, East and Central Europe, Central Asia and the Near East, as well as from the Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC), the Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO) and several Plant Health Companies in China.

The IPPC Secretary Xia presented an overview of the IPPC Project on Capacity Development under the Framework of the FAO-China South-South Cooperation (SSC) Programme. Dr. Shengyao Tang, Director of the FAO-SSC Office, then gave a keynote address and presented an overview of the FAO-China SSC Progamme in relation to plant health. A series of reports on Chinese Phytosanitary System were presented including: the Agriculture Phytosanitary System and the Border Control Phytosanitary System; the Phytosanitary Research System and the Phytosanitary Education System; and an e-Certification System. Six plant health companies demonstrated their technologies and products for green plant protection.

All participating National and Regional Plant Protection Organizations presented reports on their countries and regions. Their presentations covered the regulatory, technical and operational aspects of plant quarantine systems; opportunities and challenges related to phytosanitary measures; emerging regulated pests; and recommendations to promote cooperation on phytosanitary measures among One Belt and One Road countries. Participants also visited a pheromone factory and an entomology museum in Shaanxi Province.

The five major achievements of the Symposium were:

• increased awareness of the importance of the Chinese initiative One Belt and One Road; the FAO-China SSC programme; and the IPPC project on capacity development under the framework of the FAO-China SSC programme;

• participants had a better understanding of the composition and function of Chinese Phytosanitary Systems;

• participants identified major phytosanitary challenges among participating countries;

• participants discussed major areas of cooperation in promoting bilateral and inter-regional cooperation on phytosanitary measures among participating countries and regions; and

• valuable recommendations were proposed to the IPPC Secretariat, RPPOs, participating countries and the Chinese government to promote bilateral and inter-regional cooperation on phytosanitary measures with China.

Organization

The Symposium was co-organized by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat, the National Agro-technical Extension and Service Centre (NATESC) of MARA-China, and the Agriculture Department of Shaanxi Province. It was financially supported by the IPPC Global Project on Capacity Development under the Framework of the FAO-China SSC Programme.

Background Information

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is implementing a global project on capacity development under the framework of the FAO-China SSC Programme. The project s overall objective is to strengthen the capacity of developing contracting parties (CPs) to implement the IPPC and its International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs).

Two IPPC High-level Symposia on Cooperation of Phytosanitary Measures among the Chinese Initiative One Belt and One Road Countries have been organized in China as part of the project. The first Symposium covered One Road countries from Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. The second Symposium covered One Belt countries from Africa, East and Central Europe and Central Asia and Near East regions.

Opening session of the Symposium. © FAO

Participants visiting an insect sex pheromone agricultural company. © FAO

Participants visit an entomology museum. © FAO