China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) and the Ministry of Commerce issued an announcement Monday putting into effect a conditional lifting of the remaining part of the ban on animal-related food imports from the Netherlands.

　　According to the announcement to take effect on June 20, China will begin importing some animal-related foods from the Netherlands, including milk, milk products and casings for sausages, but will require that such imports carry official certificates certifying that the foods are edible and that they meet the sanitary requirements set by the European Union and China. The announcement also requires that customs quarantine departments test each batch of imports carefully to ensure that they carry no poisonous substances which could endanger public health.

　　The complete lifting of the ban will depend on the conclusions that Chinese experts draw from their upcoming trip to the Netherlands.

　　China issued Circulars No. 88 and No. 131 on Aug. 30 and Dec. 25, 2002, respectively, authorizing the import of saltwater fish, various saltwater shrimps, saltwater mollusks, edible eggs and honey from the Netherlands.