New measures set to expand registration scope, tighten documentation requirement and raise food safety management standards come into effect from 1 June
Vietnamese exporters are rushing to update registration details and related documents in preparation for China’s revised import control measures which are set to take effect on 1 June, according to a report from The Nation.
The measures, which were announced by China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC) at a press conference in mid-March, are aimed at “further strengthening oversight of imported food safety and facilitating trade in imported food”. Under the new rules, more products will require registration, documentation requirements will be stricter and food safety management standards will be raised.
According to a report by Xinhua, the current measures had been in place since 1 January 2022. Over the four-year period, more than 96,000 food enterprises from 178 countries and regions registered in China, boosting China’s total imported food trade from Rmb1.05tn (approximately US$152.23bn) in 2020 to Rmb1.32tn (approximately US$191bn) in 2025.
“The number of registration applications from overseas food manufacturers has risen rapidly as China continues to expand opening up, which has necessitated further improvements to the registration management system,” Li Jinsong, an official with the GAC told Xinhua.
He said the new rules take consistency with the existing registration system into account, adding that overseas enterprises already registered in China would not be affected.
However, according to The Nation, many Vietnamese businesses are entering their first registration renewal cycle and now have only two to three months to complete the new registration requirements.
To support the transition, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment held a briefing for the private sector and industry organisations on 13 March where it provided guidance on remaining compliant under the new regulations.
The Vietnamese government has also accelerated several support measures, according to The Nation. These include streamlining the registration process into a single platform through CIFER, coordinating with China to correct inconsistent data, allowing renewal applications to be submitted 3-12 months in advance, and supporting industry associations in collecting problems to present to the government. It is also pushing for bilateral discussions with China in order to address trade obstacles.
