Animal Welfare Barriers In China's Aquatic Product Export

Abstract: China is exporter of aquatic products, animal welfare barriers in recent years is becoming a new trade barriers affecting China's aquatic product export. However, domestic animal welfare law is still in the blank, animal welfare barriers in China is still a new research field. Article tries to interpret China's aquatic product export of animal welfare barriers, analyses the reasons of the aquatic products in China suffer from animal welfare barriers, and to use the relevant economic knowledge of animal welfare barriers to aquatic products export in China is discussed, on this basis, according to the actual situation of China's aquaculture, from three aspects: the government, industry associations and enterprises put forward the corresponding countermeasures and Suggestions.

Key words: animal welfare; Aquatic products; Exports; countermeasures

 With the economic globalization and trade liberalization, the tariff slash, traditional non-tariff barriers have been eliminated or specification. In this situation, along with the strengthening consciousness of animal welfare, some developed countries use in economy, law, science and technology, the traditional customs and so on advantages or influence, on the animal welfare act in their own countries barrier, prevent from some developing countries the import of animals and animal products, animal welfare will be closely integrated with the international trade, thus formed the new trade barriers -- animal welfare barriers.

 A. Chinese aquatic products of animal welfare barriers

 China has the comparative advantage of aquatic products export products, since the accession to the WTO, China's export continued rapid growth of aquatic products. According to customs statistics, in 2006 China's aquatic products export trade continued to maintain steady growth. Exports of 3.015 million tons, exports of $9.36 billion, an increase of 17.4% and 17.4% respectively. Behind the growth, however, a growing number of developed countries begin to pay close attention to the aquatic animals in the process of breeding and processing of treatment, using the animal welfare provisions to influence international trade.

At present, many European and American developed countries require the supplier must be able to provide the aquatic products in the process of breeding, transportation, slaughter had abused prove permission to import. The rules from the beginning of June 1, 1995, all exported to the United States fish and its products must be labeled with the United States proved from non polluted waters. In 1995, the us food and drug administration (fda) announced on China's shrimp products \"automatic detention\", the reason is that some of China's fishing vessels is not installed on the turtles escape device, this caused China's frozen lobster exports reduced by $1995 in 12.039 million to $1997 in 567000. In 1997, the European Union announced that due to China's Marine environment worsening, the export of shellfish products have not reach their health standards, therefore, no longer the import of Chinese shellfish products. Conservation international in 2002 asked Chinese authorities to \"man-eating pompanos\" euthanasia, otherwise will use its influence called for countries all over the world to boycott Chinese aquatic products.

B.  China's aquatic products export under the main cause of animal welfare barriers

 Animal welfare barriers of this emerging has become China's aquatic products international trade a new \"moral barrier\", affecting China's aquatic product export, the reason mainly has four aspects:

 1.  the Chinese aquatic products \"animal welfare\" lag Due to the national economic level, education, culture and moral standards, etc, the difference of the animal welfare level there is a big gap. In aquatic animal welfare in China lags far behind the developed countries or regions, mainly displays in:

 (a). The animal welfare cognitive deficiency of aquatic products. At present, most of the developed countries public recognition of animal welfare, think people for the ethical treatment of animals is good to human beings, but in China, was virtually unknown animal welfare, most farmers haven't realized the serious situation of animal welfare, seldom consider animal welfare as trade barriers brought about by the loss, and pay more attention to their short-term economic benefits.

 (b). The aquatic products of animal welfare legislation lag, lack of information. At present, the European Union, the United States and China's Hong Kong, Taiwan, has formulated the perfect animal welfare law, and has a corresponding implementing rules. But China has not a specialized, complete sweeping law related to the protection of animals, the legislation system of loose, operability is poor. In addition, also lack for enterprises to provide information consulting agencies, when suffering animal welfare barriers in domestic enterprises lack the necessary information to analyze, research the countermeasures.

 (c). The aquatic animal farming, transportation and slaughter, etc do not accord with standard of animal welfare. Some of China's farmers for the pursuit of high yield, the use of banned in some countries in the process of breeding drugs; Do not take on aquatic products breeding environment, periodic testing of aquaculture water without water environmental pollution is serious, the endangered aquatic animal health, affect the quality of aquatic products, influences the export. In addition, restricted by technology, China's aquatic products transportation, fishing and slaughter are still gap with foreign animal welfare standards.

 B.  the Chinese aquatic products own consideration

 (a). Quality consciousness is not high. China's aquatic products production is a kind of blind pursuit of quantity and do not take the production of the latter. In recent years, the situation has changed, but in the short term it is hard to set up the guiding ideology of taking quality as center.

 (b). Technical level lag behind. Compared with the developed fishery countries, most of China's aquaculture processing enterprise production conditions of low standard, poor equipment, low level of processing technology, the influence of disease, the implementation of the water quality environment and product quality control measures, product quality is not guaranteed.

 (c). The aquaculture management level is not high. Aquaculture production lack of development planning, and some of the main breeding area of the overall layout is not reasonable. Such as shellfish aquaculture, large yellow croaker, and other products in the local area density is too large, for the environment and aquaculture production itself caused adverse effect.

  lack of specification of aquatic products export industry management in China's aquatic products export powerhouse, but lack for aquatic products export enterprise's business management. Export enterprises fail to share information, unable to set power industry to explore countermeasures, aquatic products export enterprises to win international trade war is difficult.

 

(4) the strengthening of trade protectionism in developed countries with the development of economic globalization, traditional tariff and non-tariff barriers to further constrained by the WTO rules, Europe and the United States and other developed countries to protect domestic aquatic products industry, to prevent a large number of imports of aquatic products, and the threat to the survival and development of the domestic industry, to the emerging of the animal welfare barriers.

 

Three, the influence of animal welfare barriers on China's aquatic products export analysis

 

(a) the mechanism of the animal welfare barriers of trade barriers mechanism is to point to to protect national economic security, limit the number of foreign commodities and form control mechanism and price control mechanism, the same is true of animal welfare barriers.

 

1. The number of control effect. Importer, assumed to be the big country, S on behalf of the Chinese aquatic product export supply curve somehow, D to importer of Chinese import demand curve of those products. Set before the animal welfare barriers, China's aquatic product export supply curve for the S8, market equilibrium, Chinese exports of aquatic products and imports of the importer is equal to Q *, the equilibrium price is p *. Barriers, increase T unit cost of production of aquatic products in China, the Chinese aquatic product export supply curve will shift to the left to S ', the equilibrium price rise to P ', the trade flow reduced to Q \", namely China now exports decreased (Q * - Q \").

 

2. The price control effect. Assume that China's exports of aquatic products is equal to an importer for China this commodity imports, and the importer has no tariffs on the goods, as a monopoly goods. Set of animal welfare barriers before, if P is the price of the product in the importing country market, the cost per unit is c *, balanced trade for Q *, the export of aquatic products unit net income of (P * - c *). After setting up barriers, the unit cost increased C ', so cost per unit increase of aquatic products to the (C * + C '). If (C * + C ') > p *, then China will completely lose advantage of aquatic products, the loss of competitiveness, cannot enter the importer market; If (C * + C ')

 

(2) on the impact of animal welfare barriers on China's aquatic product export economic analysis between China and developed countries in the aspect of \"animal welfare\", there exists a large gap in China is very difficult to eliminate this gap in the short term. Therefore, the \"animal welfare\" has become an effective barriers to trade, has had a profound influence on China's export of aquatic products.

 

1. The impact on market access. Play a role mainly from quantity control mechanism. China's aquatic products farming, fishing or slaughter are not accord with standard of animal welfare, in order to reach the standard of importers and exporters to invest additional funds, technology and human resources, but the investment in the short term can not be immediate. So, only conform to the standards of aquatic products to be imported, animal welfare barriers to market access barriers are formed.

 

2. The impact on the international competitiveness. Animal welfare influence on international competitiveness of aquatic products, is an aquatic animal welfare could not reach the requirements of the importer, compared with other countries meet animal welfare standards of products, Chinese aquatic products uncompetitive; Two is to improve the level of animal welfare, enterprise aquatic products unit costs, reduced price advantage of aquatic products, international competitiveness.

 

3. The effects on the terms of trade. China's export of aquatic products offer x, curve for OQ, developed countries export products to Y, provide the curve for the OP, achieving equilibrium at point E, OA is the terms of trade. Set up after the animal welfare barriers, China's export of aquatic products to reduce, so provide curve for the OR F for equilibrium, the terms of trade line for OB, original with OM aquatic products can change ON Y products, now can only change ON 'Y products, visible, aquatic products trade conditions deteriorate.

 

4. The effects on social welfare level. According to H - O model, Chinese tend to produce export of aquatic products with comparative advantages X. Assume a country tend to Y, technology-intensive products for export goods produced in the two countries play their respective advantages, and then in the trade exchange. As shown in figure 4, the EF for China's production possibilities curve, relative prices of goods x for Px/Py, welfare level of the I. Set up after the animal welfare barriers, China's aquatic product x trade flows rapidly reduced in the short term, so x to the domestic market, in China's domestic market demand large supply of x, x prices for Px * / Py *, so the price is linear move upward along the curve of EF. The welfare level low level I *, whole China's social welfare levels drop (I - I *).

 

 

Four, China's aquatic products in the face of the countermeasures of animal welfare barriers

 

Animal welfare will become an international trend and inevitable for the development of China's aquaculture industry, international trade smoothly, we must from various aspects to take effective measures to solve the problem of animal welfare in aquatic products export trade, in response to the WTO after the new challenges of The Times.

 

(a) the government

 

1. Broad scientific propaganda, cultivate rational consumption concept. On the one hand, China has been heavily promoted by the \"constitution\", \"environmental protection law, fisheries law and other laws and regulations, and China has to participate in the international convention for the convention on biological diversity, convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora species such as, constantly improve citizens' consciousness of cruelty to animals, protect the environment, On the other hand, through various channels to consumers propaganda related scientific knowledge, cultivate consumers rational consumption concept.

 

2. To speed up the animal welfare legislation, establishment of animal welfare standards. The Chinese government should the animal welfare standards system of developed country for reference, combining the actual situation of China's current aquaculture industry, build up conforms to China's national conditions, covering cultivation, the whole process of production and transportation of animal welfare standards system, to break through the animal welfare barriers of developed countries, but also for China to use standard of animal welfare barriers to trade to provide legal basis.

 

3. Establish animal welfare barriers early warning mechanism and protection mechanism of the export of aquatic products. Our relevant government departments should establish foreign animal welfare barriers early warning mechanism as soon as possible and the protection mechanism of the export of aquatic products, on the one hand, to strengthen the animal welfare information tracking, collection and study abroad, and in a timely manner to the results of the analysis to the export enterprises and farmers, provide the basis for their decisions. , on the other hand, the government should set up special funds, when enterprises meet with animal welfare barriers, help enterprise investigations and study of countermeasures, solve the inequality in the export, maintain the legitimate interests of the aquatic products export enterprises.

 

4. To strengthen the exchanges and communication with the rest of the world. In bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, the Chinese government should first expound the particularity of China actively, strive for favorable conditions, refused to accept the terms beyond their tolerance of animal welfare; Secondly actively and participate in the mutual recognition of animal welfare standards work, through bilateral or multilateral mutual recognition agreement, eliminate trade friction on system; Finally, effectively use the arbitration mechanism of the WTO, to import Fang Chan set protective, discriminatory in animal welfare barriers, appeal to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, actively fight for favorable verdict, safeguard China's legitimate economic rights.

 

5. Reasonable animal welfare subsidies. In February 2003, the WTO agriculture committee put forward the draft of the mode of agricultural negotiations about the future commitments, \"the first draft and the amended version, will\" animal welfare spending \"into\" green box \"policy, according to the regulations of WTO\" green box \"policy, the government can enhance the support of relevant industry infrastructure. Based on the policy, the government can be appropriate subsidies for aquatic product enterprises, improve the enthusiasm of its improve animal welfare help enterprises to improve the level of animal welfare.

 

6. Adhere to the principle of free trade, oppose the new trade barriers. As a formal member of the WTO, China should maintain the interests of developing countries, and actively participate in formulation reflect the trade rules of fairness and justice, against certain developed countries use the name of \"animal welfare\" set new trade barriers, trade protection activities, to create a good international trade for China's aquatic product export environment.

 

(2) of trade association

 

Industry association of animal welfare barriers we break the western countries has an important role, therefore, we should strengthen the construction of industry association, give full play to the fishery associations, Chambers of commerce and other intermediary organizations in dealing with trade disputes, the role and function of information communication, etc. Industry association can be set aquatic animal welfare standards help enterprises to improve the level of animal welfare; By implementing industry self-discipline, participate in formulate industry standards, to maintain trade order, reduce competition; Through various channels to collect information about animals on international legislation, on the one hand, the information timely feedback to the domestic, to study the effect of trade, so that together with the government, the enterprise formulate effective measures, on the other hand can edit published related publications, set up dynamic database and information consulting services related to network, in the form of training, conducting seminars and exhibitions etc., to develop the national consciousness of animal welfare, improve the competitiveness of the aquatic products in China. When companies suffer irrational animal welfare barriers, industry association to the power of a whole organization resisting unfair barriers, improve the enterprise's ability to cope with in trade friction, safeguard the legitimate interests of aquatic products export enterprises.

 

(3) enterprise

 

1. Improve the production technology, improve the survival environment of aquatic animals, improve the method of the slaughter and transport. Such as to change the traditional production way, advocating organic aquaculture. Chinese conventional aquaculture does not take into account the aquatic animals in their natural environment requirements and conditions, all the life it at the expense of the environment, to obtain economic benefits, not maximize benefits to the aquatic animals, do not accord with standard of animal welfare. And organic aquaculture compared with conventional breeding methods, production of aquatic products of low pollution, high product quality, more safety and health. To improve the slaughter of animals way, such as in accordance with the relevant provisions of the animal welfare, slaughter try to minimize the pain of the animals. In addition, select the appropriate shipping time, if choose in cool early in the morning and in the evening or night, in the process of transportation such as met to brake and stop suddenly, and as much as possible, when you need to turn slowly, etc.

 

2. Through the enterprise identification (CI) system, the implementation of brand strategy, and speed up the application for a variety of certification. Good corporate image is beneficial to product sales, is a powerful weapon in market competition. Therefore, we should around the quality of aquatic products in the international market, from trademark registration, advertising, product packaging to marketing strategy, comprehensive set up product brand image, constantly improve the market competitiveness of products and value-added, so as to realize to the quality strives for the survival, to benefit a virtuous circle to promote the development of the enterprise. The United States, Japan, on the other hand, requirements of aquatic products exported to the market, its production and processing enterprise must implement HACCP (hazard analysis and critical point control) management. Therefore, we should encourage enterprises to actively apply IS09000, HACCP certification, in a standard into a weapon \"the wall\".

 

3. To carry out the transfer strategy. The implementation of the strategy for the upgrade of aquatic products by increasing the added value of aquatic products deep processing, in order to expand exports. Such as changing the raw product to cooked products exports, not only increase the added value of exports, to a certain extent, also can avoid the animal welfare barriers. In addition, it can also be a transnational operation strategy, foreign investment, the importer of production, make \"XiaoDe\" come \"origin\", in order to avoid importer of animal welfare barriers.

 

4. Actively adjust and optimize the structure of aquatic products export, vigorously develop the diversified international sales market. China's export of aquatic products for importing countries tend to have substitution effect, and have no added effect. Therefore, we should focus on developing some small elasticity of demand in the international market, aquatic products and its processed products with Chinese characteristics, adjust and optimize the structure of aquatic products export; On the other hand, China's aquatic product export markets mainly in Japan, South Korea, the United States, the European Union and other main ChangDaoGuo animal welfare, exports accounted for about 90%. Once these countries on the grounds that the animal welfare level is too low to resist China's aquatic products, will be a tremendous impact on aquaculture in China. Therefore, Chinese enterprises must be in depth development of traditional market at the same time, vigorously develop the Middle East, Africa and Latin America and other potential new markets, change the condition of the single market, formed the pattern of export market diversification.

 

Five, the conclusion

 

Animal welfare barriers become the most difficult to deal with Chinese aquatic products export trade barriers. Admittedly, fundamentally improve the level of domestic animal welfare is the breakthrough of animal welfare barriers in the long term, but in the short term, catch up with the developed countries high standards of animal welfare requirements, is by no means an easy task. But, as long as we carefully analyze the causes of animal welfare, actively explore animal welfare barriers for aquatic products export, the influence of the government, industry associations and enterprises to work together, hard skills, the enemy and know yourself, have focused on and phases of regarding animal welfare, animal welfare barriers will not out of reach.