Hong Kong has received the green light from the Australian Government for the full resumption of the movements of horses between Australia and Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Jockey Club welcomed the outcome, which follows the completion of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture’s (DA) assessment of Guangdong’s Equine Disease Free Zone (EDFZ), the Conghua Racecourse (CRC) and the biosecurity passage via which horses are transported between Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and CRC.

The assessment is based on a desk audit of information provided by the General Administration of Customs (GACC), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and a verification visit to the Mainland conducted in October 2019. The assessment concluded that the suite of biosecurity controls that are in place meet Australia’s import standards and that, accordingly, Hong Kong should regain its status as an approved jurisdiction for the export of horses to Australia. Effective immediately, horses can be transported between Australia and Hong Kong on the same conditions as existed before October 2017.

Mr. Andrew Harding, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Executive Director, Racing, said: “Following on the heels of the interim protocols achieved in March and the successful site visit by officials from Australia’s Department of Agriculture in October, we welcome the confirmation that movements of horses between Australia and Hong Kong can now be fully resumed. The high level of commitment by MARA, GACC, AFCD and DA to achieving this outcome is gratefully acknowledged, as is the strong support from the industry in Australia.”