Last week, the China's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) declared an import ban on Indonesian aqua products after checks turned up toxins, harmful chemicals and pathogens.

However, China’s decision to put the import ban on Indonesian aqua products appeared to be in reaction to an Indonesia’s import block imposed last month on food supplements, cosmetic products and medicines from China, citing Martini Huseini, a senior official of Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF).

As a circular posted on AQSIQ Website, shipments received before August 3 would be carefully inspected, while all those shipped after that date would be returned or destroyed. This message was announced when China-made products, i.e. toothpaste, toys, tires and fish are kept under more stringent scrutiny and have been in some cases banned after being found contaminated or unsafe.

Mr. Martin Huseini also said both sides would discuss this issue and he also hoped that the China’s decision would not make adverse effects on Indonesia’s seafood exports to other markets.

Indonesia promised to investigate the China’s claims but was confident it met the international standards in the seafood processing.

China is not Indonesia’s main export market for seafood exports, with the annual export turnover only around 150 million USD.

The Chinese administration said that imports from Indonesia have been found poisoned by mercury and cadmium that can be contained in soil and water. Both metals are able to damage nerve, cause cancer and other hazardous diseases for humans.

Currently, Indonesian government requires Beijing to explain about sudden application of the seafood import ban.

Indonesia drafted a letter in which required China to clarify issues sent to Chinese administration through Indonesian Embassy in Beijing on August 4.

It required laboratory testing results or other evidences that Beijing based on to apply this ban. Further, Indonesia’s Minister of  Fisheries also asked for the rejected products named in the list and the relevant producers or exporters.

Representatives of Indonesian fisheries industry, Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Foreign Trade held a meeting with its association of seafood businesses to discuss the solutions.

On August 8, Indonesia made the decision to put a block on more China –made imports following the ban on Chinese sweet imports that being found to contain formaldehyde last month.

However, Minister for Trade of Indonesia Mari Elka noted that this ban was not to retaliate against the last week Beijing’s decision to impose provisional import restriction on Indonesian seafood.

She explained that what they are doing is a normal testing for the purpose of guarantee for food safety and control over unlicensed imports distribution.

The banned imports list issued on August 1 and announced on 6 by Indonesian Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM) included 26 cosmetic products imported from China, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand and Philippine.

It also said it found that some Chinese cosmetics contained mercury and rhodamin, that medicines contained unauthorized chemicals, and that food supplements had some additives that were dangerous to the health.

As BPOM finding, rhodamin is used to color products ranging from paper to cosmetics and food, and can be an irritant if exposed to the eyes or skin and toxic if swallowed.

Among banned cosmetics after checks turned up dangerous chemicals, only 2 products were officially import registered.

According to BPOM, they have banned extra 42 sweets imported from China because of containing formaldehyde.

Mrs. Mari acknowledged that this block did not constitute a discrimination against China, but aimed at protecting consumers’ health.