In a landmark decision to build China-Pakistan economic partnership, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) has granted access to Pakistani heat-treated beef to enter the Chinese market, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Tuesday quoting an official statement. The imported Pakistani heat-treated beef must originate from cattle younger than 30 months, and the meat must be boneless, having undergone a stringent heat treatment process.  The centre of the meat should reach a temperature of at least 70 degrees Celsius for a minimum of 30 minutes.
 
The statement noted, production enterprises of heat-treated beef have to be located in Pakistan and operate under Pakistani official supervision, adhering to the veterinary health and public health regulations of both China and Pakistan. Before exporting heat-treated beef to China, the producer must be registered with China, and only the heat-treated beef produced after the registration date is allowed for export. The announcement also details extensive requirements about animal disease management, processing conditions, storage, certification, packaging, transportation, and labeling. 
 
The access of Pakistani beef to the Chinese market represents a milestone in the China-Pakistan economic cooperation. With the continuous development and deepening of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), more Pakistani agricultural products are expected to enter the Chinese market. This new development follows the earlier agreement for the export of Pakistani cherries to the Chinese market, further illustrating the mutually beneficial economic relationship between the two countries. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP