"The Chinese government has made a series of laws and regulations, which are playing important role in protecting people 's health, ensuring the safety of agricultural production and promoting foreign trade," said Jiang Chunyun, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

He made the remarks at a conference marking the 10th anniversary of the Law on the Quarantine of Animals and Plants Entering and Exiting the People's Republic of China.

The law, which was put into effect on April 1, 1992, stipulates that items which pass through, or items which are carried or mailed into or out of China, including animals, plants and related by-products, can be subject to quarantine.

Through strict quarantine, China has imported abundant quality species of plants and animals from overseas while successfully preventing major epidemics in recent years, Jiang said.

Meanwhile, quarantine experts have succeeded in more than 100 high-tech developments in the field, greatly promoting the country 's plant and animal quarantine technology.

With China's entry into the World Trade Organization and economic globalization, the country is facing more complicated situations and challenges in the quarantine of plants and animals entering the country.

Jiang called for thorough publicity and enforced implementation of the law and further improvement of quarantine technology.

(People's Daily April 13, 2002)