China imposed a blanket embargo on Germany in October following the emergence of African swine fever in wild boars moving westward from Poland. Since mid-September, 240 individual carcasses of boars have yielded ASF virus but without cases in either commercial or backyard herds.
Germany is requesting that China accept the principle of regionalization as allowed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). In terms of OIE requirements China has no justification for banning imports of pork from Germany given that the infection is endemic in the importing nation.
Negotiations continue between Germany and China at the level of their respective Chief Veterinary Officers. Germany has replied to a detailed questionnaire requested by China outlining procedures to prevent transmission of infection from free-living wild boars to domestic flocks.
The failure by China to recognize the OIE principle of regionalization an indication that the nation will honor only regulations resulting in self-benefit. When confronted the standard approach to any controversial issue is continue negotiating and not to make any decision. Since China is rebuilding depleted herds, there appears to be a measure of self-protection in the stand fast approach to German pork. In the interim, broiler producers are clearly benefiting from the situation at the expense of consumers.