Ⅰ. China’s Quarantine Access System and Procedures for Agricultural Products
Quarantine access refers to a regulatory system whereby the state conducts risk assessment and implements preventive measures for animals, plants, and their products intended for export to China. By evaluating and reviewing the biosafety status, animal and plant health status, and quality and safety management systems of the exporting country (region), the authorities decide whether to grant access and establish the corresponding inspection and quarantine requirements. This serves as a key measure to prevent the introduction of overseas animal and plant diseases into China. According to the Biosecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine, the state shall establish a national access system for animals, plants, their products, and high-risk biological agents. In accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and in compliance with the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and related international standards, China has established a relatively comprehensive quarantine access system since 2002. This includes the Regulations on Risk Analysis Management for Imported Animals and Animal Products and the Regulations on Risk Analysis Management for Imported Plants and Plant Products. Relevant quarantine access procedures have also been formulated, which mainly include five stages: application acceptance, questionnaire survey, risk assessment (including written assessment and/or on-site inspection), technical consultation and determination of inspection and quarantine requirements (signing of cooperation protocols), and registration of overseas enterprises.
At the same time, General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) implements risk-based graded management for agricultural and food products exported to China, based on the risks of introducing and disseminating animal and plant epidemics or pests, applying quarantine access management only to animals, plants, and products that may carry disease risks. For low-risk products such as processed goods (e.g., cleaned furs, tanned hides and other deep-processed fur and leather products, cotton, dried flowers, plywood, vegetable oils, nuts and seed products, roasted coffee beans and cocoa beans), as well as products that have undergone disinfestation and disinfection treatment overseas (e.g., timber), the risk of spreading animal or plant diseases is low according to international standards. Such products do not require quarantine access and may be exported to China if they meet the country’s relevant requirements. Detailed information is available on the GACC website (http://dzs.customs.gov.cn/dzs/2026-04/28/article_2026042818553887985.html and http://43.248.49.223/index.aspx).
II. Access Framework for African Agricultural and Food Products to China
On 14 February 2026, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the 39th African Union Summit, announcing that China would comprehensively implement zero-tariff measures for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations starting from 1 May 2026, and further expand access for African exports to China through methods such as upgrading the “Green Channel.” To thoroughly implement the important instructions of President Xi Jinping, the General Administration of Customs (GACC), in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and following the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and related international standards, has further streamlined the access procedures for African agricultural and food products and launched the upgraded “Green Channel 2.0” for African exports to China.
(1) Unified Access for Low-Risk Products in the African Region Such products cannot fully eliminate the risk of spreading animal and plant pests and diseases through processing, but the risk is relatively low. For such products, unified import inspection and quarantine requirements are established and announced. Relevant products from the African region shall be granted unified access without the need to sign bilateral protocols with each country.
(2) Streamlined Quarantine Access Procedures for Medium- and High-Risk Products Such products carry higher risks and must undergo the necessary access procedures. To enhance operational efficiency, targeted facilitation measures are implemented, including giving priority to requests from African countries, consolidated assessments, prioritized remote assessments, consolidated on-site assessments by country, implementation of “flexible reviews,” and “list-based” registration. Such measures include but are not limited to the following:
First, priority to requests from African countries. Upon receipt of technical documentation, risk analysis is immediately initiated.
Second, consolidated assessments. For agricultural and food products from the same country with similar processing technologies, or the same product from different countries, assessments are consolidated provided the risks are manageable.
Third, prioritized remote assessments. Remote video assessments are generally conducted. For countries that have already undergone on-site assessment of their export quarantine and regulatory systems, on-site assessments for other similar products from that country are no longer required.
Fourth, consolidated on-site assessments by country. For multiple similar products from the same country that require on-site assessments, a mission is dispatched to complete on-site assessments for all such products in one go.
Fifth, implementation of “flexible reviews”. For enterprises requiring conformity assessment, a flexible combination of video inspections, document review, and other methods is employed to expedite enterprise assessment and registration.
Sixth, “list-based” registration. For African countries with a sound foundation of cooperation in animal and plant quarantine and food safety, if compliance review is not required, pilot facilitation measures for batch registration of enterprises shall be implemented based on recognition of their animal and plant quarantine and food safety systems.