Regarding the Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Export of Dried Chilies from Africa

In accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations, and following a risk assessment, the importation of Dried chilies from African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China is permitted, provided they meet the following relevant requirements.

I. Basis for Inspection and Quarantine

(1) *Biosecurity Law of the People's Republic of China*;

(2) *Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine* and its Implementing Regulations;

(3) *Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China* and its Implementing Regulations.

II. Name of Permitted Import Commodity

"Dried chilies" refers to products processed from edible Dried chilis (*Capsicum* spp.)—grown within the territory of the exporting country—by means of natural sun-drying or other drying processes.

III. Origin

Dried chilies production areas within African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China.

IV. Enterprise Registration

Dried chili planting bases and processing and packaging plants exporting to China must undergo review by the competent authority of the exporting country (hereinafter referred to as the "Exporting Country's Official Authority") and be approved and registered by China Customs. Registration information shall include the name, address, and registration number to facilitate accurate traceability in the event that Dried chilies exported to China fail to comply with the relevant provisions of this Announcement. Prior to the commencement of trade, the Exporting Country's Official Authority shall provide the list of registered entities to China Customs. Upon review and approval by China Customs, this list shall be published on its website.

V. Quarantine Pests of Concern to China Customs

1. Acanthoscelides obtectus

2. Callosobruchus maculatus

3. Trogoderma granarium

4. Pospiviroid fusituberis (PSTVd)

5. Tobamovirus fructirugosum (ToBRFV)

6. Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum

7. Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis

8. Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato

9. Orobanche spp.

VI. Pre-export Management

(I) Management of Planting Bases.

1. Cultivation bases shall, under the official supervision of the exporting country, establish comprehensive quality management and traceability management systems; implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)—maintaining sanitary conditions within the cultivation area (e.g., ensuring the absence of nearby pollution sources that could affect dried chili production, and promptly clearing away plant disease residues and debris); and implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM), including pest monitoring and surveys, physical, chemical, or biological control measures, as well as other preventive and control measures such as specific agronomic practices.

2. Cultivation bases shall, under the official supervision of the exporting country, conduct pest monitoring and integrated management specifically targeting the quarantine pests of concern to China Customs. Pest monitoring and control activities at cultivation bases shall be carried out under the guidance of professional technical personnel. Such technical personnel must undergo training provided by the exporting country's official authorities or their authorized agencies. Cultivation bases shall retain records of pest monitoring and control activities for a minimum of two years and shall provide these records to China Customs upon request. These records shall include, at a minimum, detailed information such as the monitoring dates, the names of any pests detected, the control measures implemented, and—for any chemical treatments applied—the application dates, active ingredients, and concentrations used.

(II) Processing and Packaging Management.

1. Registered processing and packaging facilities for dried chilies destined for China shall establish a traceability system to ensure that the exported dried chilies can be traced back to their registered cultivation bases. This system shall record information such as the processing and packaging dates, the name or registration number of the source cultivation base, the export date, the export quantity, the destination country, and the specific transport vehicle or container number used.

2. The processes of processing, packaging, storage, and shipment for dried chilies destined for China shall be conducted under the quarantine supervision of the exporting country's official authorities or their authorized personnel.

3. Processing and packaging facilities shall be clean and sanitary, feature hardened flooring, and include designated areas for the storage of raw materials and finished products.

4. Functional zones within the facility—specifically those designated for the receiving, processing, packaging, and storage of dried chilies destined for China—shall be relatively independent and logically laid out; furthermore, they shall be physically separated from living quarters and maintained at an appropriate distance.

5. During the processing of dried chilies destined for China, the product shall undergo various procedures—including manual sorting, screening, cleaning, and removal of impurities—to ensure that it is free from insects, plant debris, soil, and other foreign contaminants.

(III) Packaging Requirements.

1. Packaging materials must be clean, sanitary, and unused, and must comply with relevant Chinese phytosanitary requirements. If wood packaging is used, it must comply with the requirements of the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15).

2. Each package box must be marked in Chinese or English with traceability information, including the product name, country of origin, place of origin, name or registration number of the cultivation base, and name or registration number of the processing and packaging facility. Each package box and pallet must be marked in Chinese or English with "输往中华人民共和国" or "Exported to the People's Republic of China".

3. Transport vehicles or containers used to ship Dried chilies to China must be inspected at the time of loading to ensure they are in good sanitary condition. The transport vehicles or containers must be sealed; upon arrival at a Chinese port of entry, these seals must remain intact and undamaged.

(IV) Pre-export Inspection and Quarantine

1. Prior to export, the competent authority of the exporting country shall conduct inspection and quarantine on the Dried chilies intended for shipment to China. Only Dried chilies that have passed the inspection and quarantine conducted by the exporting country's competent authority, and are confirmed to comply with the requirements of this Announcement, shall be permitted for export to China.

2. During the first two years following the commencement of trade, the competent authority of the exporting country shall conduct sampling inspections on every batch of Dried chilies intended for China at a rate of 2%. If no phytosanitary issues arise within this two-year period, the sampling rate may be reduced to 1%.

3. If quarantine pests of concern to Chinese Customs, plant residues, or soil are detected, the entire batch of goods shall be prohibited from export to China. The competent authority of the exporting country shall investigate the cause and implement corrective measures. Additionally, records of such interceptions shall be maintained and provided to Chinese Customs upon request.

(V) Phytosanitary Certificate Requirements

1. For Dried chilies that have passed quarantine inspection, the competent authority of the exporting country shall issue a phytosanitary certificate, specifying the names or registration numbers of the cultivation bases and processing/packaging plants, and including the following additional declaration: "This consignment complies with Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Dried Chilies from Africa to China, and is free from quarantine pests of concern to China."

If live pests are detected in a consignment, disinfestation treatments—such as fumigation—must be performed prior to export. The phytosanitary certificate shall specify the treatment method, chemical agent used, dosage, duration, temperature, and other relevant details.

2．Regarding the Tobamovirus fructirugosum (ToBRFV): If the country of origin is free from ToBRFV, the competent authority of the exporting country must include the following additional declaration on the issued phytosanitary certificate: "This consignment is originated from (country or area), where is free of ToBRFV."

If Tobamovirus fructirugosum (ToBRFV) is present in the country of origin, the competent authority of the exporting country must conduct testing prior to export to ensure that the product is free from the virus, and an official test report must be attached.

3．Prior to the commencement of trade, the competent authority of the exporting country shall provide a specimen of its phytosanitary certificate to China Customs for verification and record-keeping purposes.

VII. Entry Inspection, Quarantine, and Handling of Non-compliant Goods

Upon the arrival of Dried chilies destined for China at a designated entry port in China, China Customs shall conduct inspection and quarantine in accordance with the following requirements:

(I) Verification of Certificates and Markings.

1．Verify whether the phytosanitary certificate complies with the provisions of Item (V) of Article VI of this Announcement.

2．Verify whether the markings on the packaging cartons and pallets comply with the provisions of Item (III) of Article VI of this Announcement.

(II) Inspection of Goods.

In accordance with relevant laws, administrative regulations, and rules, China Customs shall conduct inspection and quarantine on the imported Dried chilies; consignments that pass the inspection and quarantine shall be permitted to enter the country.

(III) Handling of Non-compliant Goods.

1. If the shipment is found to originate from unregistered cultivation bases or processing and packaging facilities, it shall be prohibited from entering the country.

2. If the shipment is found to lack an accompanying valid phytosanitary certificate, it shall be returned or destroyed.

3. If the shipment is found to contain quarantine pests of concern to China Customs, other live quarantine pests, or plant residues, soil, etc., it shall be returned, destroyed, or subjected to quarantine treatment.

4. If the shipment is found to be non-compliant with China’s food safety laws, regulations, and national standards, it shall be returned or destroyed.

5. If any of the aforementioned non-compliance issues are detected, China Customs shall immediately notify the competent authority of the exporting country and, depending on the circumstances, suspend the import of Dried chilies from the relevant cultivation bases or processing and packaging facilities. The competent authority of the exporting country shall investigate the causes and implement corrective measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring. China Customs shall determine whether to lift the suspension measures based on the results of the corrective actions taken by the competent authority of the exporting country.

VIII. Other Requirements

Dried chilies from Rwanda, Egypt, Uganda, and Tanzania have obtained quarantine access to my country; relevant phytosanitary requirements for their import shall be implemented in accordance with China Customs Announcements No. 53 of 2021, No. 67 of 2024, No. 126 of 2024, and No. 134 of 2024.

GACC