Recently, China and South Africa signed three important market access documents, including a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease, as well as two protocols for the export of raw wool and dairy products from South Africa to China.

South African Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said that the dairy-related protocol would allow South African dairy products to enter the Chinese market, while the raw wool-related protocol would maintain the openness of raw wool trade after agreeing on the treatment methods. The memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the prevention and control of foot-and-mouth disease means that China will, for the first time, accept regional imports of South African beef products.

In the past, outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease anywhere in South Africa would lead to the closure of the entire beef export market. However, under the new memorandum of understanding, only the affected provinces will be subject to export restrictions.