On 30 November 2022, the Department of Foreign Trade Policy at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Lao PDR conducted with the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) and the GIZ SRECA project an online training on Cold Chain Management and Agri-Exports to the People’s Republic of China.
The hybrid training provided insights focusing on:
- Food Product Cold Chain Management during pandemic – Chinese Policies and Practices
- China’s import policies towards varied products along the Cold Chain
- China’s Inspection and Quarantine standards for cold chain products during pandemic
- Digitalisation and Cold Chain
The training was opened by GIZ and Mr. Itthilith Ngangnouvong Deputy Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade Policy. Among the participants were representatives from the Department of Import and Export, the Department of SME Promotion, the SME Service Center at the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Department of Agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Department of Transport at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, the Lao SME Association, the Lao Business Women’s Association and private companies with a focus on agri-business/agri-exports to China as well as logistics/transport companies.
The two key Chinese experts are Ms. Xu Jialu, Deputy Director of Agriculture and Food Department, CIQA whose presentation specifically delved into Chinese fruit import policies and the Chinese inspection and quarantine procedures for fruit products; and Mr. Feng Guan, from Optima Integration Group (OIG), a Chinese cold chain import service platform in China, working as the Deputy Dean of its research institute “You Ding Te Research Institute”, who introduced China Customs Decree No. 248 & 249, and the Proclamation No. 103, which are crucial for exporters outside of China. He also demonstrated in details an operation guide for exporting enterprises to register on the China Customs exporters’ information system.
After the presentations there was a lively discussion and the Lao participants showed a high interest during the Q&A session.
This training is part of SRECA’s activities regarding fostering regional and/or trilangular measures for knowledge and experience exchange among the focus countries and/or with China in the field of regional economic cooperation. Earlier on this year, country-specific trainings for Vietnam, Cambodia and Mongolia on China’s cold chain import policies also took place.