Brunei and China sign protocol for aquatic product exports

Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali Apong and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Yu Hong holding up the signed protocol. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, July 20 (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): The Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism of Brunei (MPRT), and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China inked the protocol on inspection, quarantine and veterinary sanitary requirements for farmed aquatic products, such as prawns and fish, to be exported from Brunei to China.

Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali Apong signed on behalf of the Government of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, while Minister of General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China Ni Yuefeng signed for China in Beijing, witnessed by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Yu Hong.

The signing served to further strengthen cooperation between both countries in the field of biosecurity, quarantine and veterinary sanitary on aquatic products to be exported to China.

The relevant authority for China is General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and for Brunei Darussalam is the Fisheries Department under the MPRT.

The signing also served to pave the way for information exchanges on chemical and veterinary medical wastes, epidemic diseases and supervision of micro-organism in aquaculture farms, processing plants and frozen storage premises, as well as to further open Brunei Darussalam’s export market network for fisheries products from aquaculture companies to China.

According to statistics from the Fisheries Department, the gross output value of the aquaculture industry increased as much as 223 per cent in 2020 compared to 2015, valued at BND32.4 million in 2020 compared to BND10 million in 2015.

The signing will benefit 68 aquaculture companies of which three companies are foreign direct investments from China.

Permanent Secretaries from Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the MDRT were also present.