As an outbreak of bird flu is being seen in Asian countries like the Republic of Korea (ROK), Japan and Viet Nam, Chinese authorities are going to impose a ban on the importing of birds and various goods from Japan and Viet Nam.

Sources with the stockbreeding and veterinary bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture said the ban, similar to an earlier one on ROK birds and related products, could come out within this week.

In South China's Guangdong Province, hygiene authorities has so far received no reports on infection cases but nevertheless has imposed stringent surveillance measures, said Wang Zhi-qiong, deputy director of the provincial health bureau.

Meanwhile, chicken farms in and surrounding the province are also scrambling to take preventive measures to deter the bird flu virus.

And in Hong Kong, all live chicken imports to Hong Kong are required to be vaccinated against H5N1 virus starting today, in order to minimize the risk of recurrence of bird blu outbreaks.

Tsui Ming-tuen, Chairman of Hong Kong Poultry Wholesalers Association, said chicken trade in Hong Kong was not effected by the bird flu outbreak.

On December 22, the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine announced a ban on the imports of ROK poultry and related goods.

Although the three countries are not far away from China, the panic caused by bird flu seems to be far from Chinese consumers.

"As the outbreak is not in China, there is no reason for me to stop eating chicken,'' said Beijing resident Jing Peng.

According to a source with Shouhang Guoli company, which has more than 30 chain stores in Beijing, the bird flu outbreak abroad has not affected the sales of poultry in the company's stores.

"The chicken we sell is all domestic. People have been coming and buying chicken, just as usual,'' the source said.

Chinese experts said the outbreak of bird flu in the three countries would not affect the Chinese market.

According to Bo Wen with the China Cuisine Association, 99 per cent of restaurants in the country cook domestic chickens and ducks.

Ordinary people do not have to worry about the disease, Bo said.

The prevention of bird flu has long had importance attached to it by relevant departments in China.

"We have never stopped making efforts for the prevention of bird flu,'' said Li Yan with the Beijing station for veterinary health supervision and inspection.

Such efforts include the inspections of markets where chicken and other poultry are sold, Li said.

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