Nanning, China - The Third Asean-China Ministerial Meeting on Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (SPS Cooperation) was held yesterday at the Red Forest Hotel in Nanning, where ministers holding positions related to the meeting gathered to further strengthen the Asean-China cooperation in SPS measures and services.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, who called on respective senior officials or the SPS contact points to "continue working closer with their commendable and exemplary commitment in working together towards achieving the ultimate goals of our SPS cooperation for better facilitating our trade cooperation and for the betterment of our business communities and the private sectors/entrepreneurs as a whole".

The minister said that Brunei has great concern with regards to biosecurity issues, particularly the sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures to contain the spread of trans-boundary pests and diseases between countries, and that great potentials of trading are foreseen between Asean and the People's Republic of China in agriculture-and aquaculture-related products.

"I do hope that the efforts in SPS cooperation-between Asean and the People's Republic of China would complement and support the global efforts through international organisations such as the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) and the OIE (International Office of Epizootics/World. Organisation for Animal Health), in fighting against the trans-boundary pests and diseases of agricultural and aquacultural sectors," he added.

He also spoke of the ministry's recent efforts of reviewing the structure of its organisation, taking into consideration the strengthening of quarantine and inspection measures and services.

"This is among the efforts made by the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to further strengthen our quarantine and inspection services to ensure the agricultural and aqua-cultural related products distributed in the country are safe while ensuring the sustainability of agricultural and aquacultural industries as well as other agri-based related sectors in the country," said Pehin Dato Hj Yahya.

"The objective, among other things, is to centralise the quarantine and inspection services, which we believe would be more focused under the purview of one enforcement agency.

"The major roles of this authority are to look after matters pertaining to quarantine and inspection measures and services including the SPS issues. The authority is also responsible for matters pertaining to the biosecurity of agricultural and aqua-cultural farms and establishment in the country," Pehin Dato Hj Yahya added.

On the plan of action designed for the period of 2013-2014, he said that Brunei very much welcomes it, and will certainly strengthen their cooperation, especially in the capacity-building areas.

Pehin Dato Hj Yahya also commended the senior officials of the Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) Contact Points for their report and recommendations for strengthening Asean-China cooperation in SPS measures and services.

The Brunei delegation, which includes the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Awg Mohd Riza Dato Paduka Hj Md Yunos and several officers from the ministry, are in Nanning for the 9th China-Asean Expo (CAEXPO) at the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Guanxi Exhibition Hall, South China City of Nanning, which will officially open today.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin