   
  
G/SPS/GEN/2005  
 
4 April  2022 
(22-2678) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
CHINA 'S ACTIONS RELATED TO COVID -19 THAT AFFECT TRADE IN FOOD AND 
AGRICULTU RAL PRODUCTS – SPECIFIC TRADE CONCERN 487  
SUBMISSION BY THE UNITED STATES  OF AMERICA  
The following submission, received on 28 March 2022, is the statement made by the United States 
of Amer ica at the 23-25 March  2022 WTO SPS Committee, and is being  circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of the United States  of America . 
 
_______________  
 
 
1.  The United States would like to reiterate the concerns we have shared over the past year and a 
half regarding several measures China continues to implement, including testing requirements on 
imported foods, port -of-entry rejections of imported products when positive nucleic acid test results 
are reported, and suspension of imports from specific faci lities.  
2.  As the United States and other Members have on numerous occasions reminded China, the most 
recent FAO guidance for preventing transmission of COVID -19 within food businesses states that 
"current data indicates that neither food nor food packaging i s a pathway for the spread of viruses 
causing respiratory illnesses, including SARS -CoV-2. In other words, SARS -CoV-2 is not a direct food 
safety concern."  
3.  Through notification G/SPS/N/CHN/1173 , China indicated that it is implementing these measures 
on an emergency basis. China h as had sufficient time to collect and present scientific evidence 
justifying these measures. To date, China has not provided any science -based justification or testing 
results to support the need for, or efficacy of, these measures, despite numerous reques ts by 
WTO Members.  
4.  As the world continues to reopen and rebuild, the unjustified trade restrictions adopted by China 
during the COVID -19 pandemic continue to increase food prices for consumers, threaten global food 
supply chains, slow global recovery effor ts, and further challenge global food security.  
5.  We again urge China to withdraw these measures and work with its global partners to support 
the guidance of international organizations, which is based on the body of scientific evidence on 
COVID -19. Collabor ative engagement is essential as we collectively seek to combat the pandemic, 
avoid unnecessary barriers to trade on food and agricultural products, and maintain food security 
for all.  
6.  Lastly, the United States notes that two US poultry production facilities remain ineligible to export 
to China over a year after China suspended exports allegedly based on COVID -19-related concerns. 
These facilities have provided substantial information to China to support reinstatement, but 
China  has not p rovided a clear process for trade to resume. We encourage China to make public this 
process and promptly reinstate these facilities as eligible to export to China.  
 
__________  