The General Administration of Customs of China has recently notified the Vietnam Department of Animal Health that it has officially approved the export quarantine certificate for Vietnamese monkeys. As a result, businesses can now register to export monkeys to China.

The protocol on quarantine requirements for monkeys exported from Vietnam to China was signed by Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the General Administration of Customs of China on June 6, 2024.

The quarantine protocol for long-tailed monkeys from Vietnam is the result of more than a year of active negotiations and discussions between the relevant authorities of the two countries.

Immediately after the protocol was signed, the Department of Animal Health (under MARD) proactively worked with the General Administration of Customs of China to discuss and finalize the content of the export quarantine certificate for Vietnamese monkeys.

On July 29, the General Administration of Customs of China officially informed the Vietnam Department of Animal Health of their agreement with the export quarantine certificate for Vietnamese monkeys.

However, to export monkeys to China, Vietnamese businesses must meet the conditions outlined in the protocol. Additionally, they need to register with the Department of Animal Health, which will compile and submit the applications to the General Administration of Customs of China for review and approval.

According to the protocol, monkeys exported to China must be born or raised in captivity in Vietnam for at least two years. Before export, they must undergo quarantine at the original farm and then be isolated for 30 days at a quarantine facility approved by the Vietnamese authorities.

A representative from a monkey-breeding business in southern Vietnam stated that the long-tailed monkeys exported to China must be captive-bred, not wild-caught, and will be used for scientific research in China.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits the commercial trade of wild-caught animals but does allow the trade of captive-bred animals.

With this development, in addition to products like milk and bird's nest, Vietnam has now added monkeys to its list of officially exported goods to the Chinese market.

Tam An