New quarantine regulations comes into effect

New quarantine regulations that come into effect this Thursday will tighten restrictions on articles and animals carried by passengers entering the mainland.

The measures, released by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) in August, expanded the range of goods subject to quarantine upon entering the mainland, with genetically modified foodstuffs and endangered wildlife, as well as their produce, included for the first time.

"The revised document better protects domestic agriculture from biological pollution from abroad," an officer with AQSIQ's department of supervision on animal and plant quarantine surnamed Liu told the Global Times.

This document specifies that among live animals, only dogs and cats are allowed to be brought in by passengers as pets, with a limit of one per passenger.

The catalogue of articles prohibited from entering the mainland, which was mentioned in the regulations, was also updated earlier this year by the agricultural ministry and AQSIQ.

All fresh fruits and vegetables are now on the list, instead of only specific ones like tomatoes and eggplants, while soil and genetically modified materials are also on the prohibited list. Edible bird's nests, except for canned ones, have also been added to the catalogue.

"AQSIQ has worked with tourism departments to make sure tourists know the new regulations and minimize the possible effects on them," Liu said."For the entry-exit inspections, trained staff use X-ray machines to check whether passengers have banned items in their luggage. Meanwhile there are sniffer dogs available for flights on which passengers are thought likely to be carrying illicit items," Liu said.

According to the People's Daily, fresh fruits and vegetables have already been banned by countries like the US and Australia.