China finds pests in Canadian logs: FM

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Tuesday that Chinese customs has since January detected many cases of live pests in logs imported from Canada, and China has informed Canada of the pests and required improvement by the Canadian side.

China treated logs from Canada with pesticides after Chinese customs found live pests in forest trees during routine quarantine, such as hylurgus ligniperda, said Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry during a press conference in Beijing.

“In accordance with international standards, China has notified the Canadian side of the cases and told Canada to investigate the cause and take steps to improve the situation,” said Zhao.

On March 19, Caofeidian Customs in North China’s Hebei Province intercepted from a batch of imported Canadian logs a large number of living microcysts.

The logs entered China a week later after having been fumigated to kill the pests, Caofeidian Customs announced.

It is the responsibility of the Chinese government to protect China’s agricultural, forestry and environmental security. The measures taken against Canadian logs are normal quarantinerelated steps and precautions for safety, which are scientific and reasonable, and in accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations and international practice, Zhao stressed.

Multiple customs agencies have reported pest infestations in Canadian logs in recent months. But Canada is not alone in having pests detected in its exported logs.

Based on announcements of Chinese customs, nearly 20 species of pests have been intercepted in imported logs from various countries, including Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, France, New Zealand, Thailand and the US.