The Chinese authorities have announced that they have banned the import of pork from India, citing fears of African Swine Flu. However, the state media has said that this was done due to the ongoing border dispute between the two neighbours.
An order issued by the Customs Department and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that China “is set to ban imports of pigs, wild boars and related products from India in an effort to prevent African swine fever (ASF) and ensure the safety of China’s animal husbandry.”
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The state run Global Times said that this “ban comes after tensions between the two countries flared up in Galwan valley region”. It blamed “India’s recent, illegal construction of defence facilities on the border to the Chinese territory”.
The newspaper also reported that India reported its first case of ASF in May and the disease had killed more than 14,000 pigs in the state of Assam.
The virus originated in China in August 2018, according to the newspaper.
The Ministry of External Affairs had said on Thursday that the two nations have existing diplomatic and other channels to settle this issue in a peaceful manner.
India runs a trade deficit of over USD 50 billion with China.