China, Canada in trade row over swine flu

Canada has voiced concerns over China’s handling of swine flu after Canadian students were detained and Beijing imposed a ban on Canadian hog and pork products, the Wall Street Journal reported. Twenty-two University of Montreal students with no apparent flu symptoms were put into isolation shortly after getting off a plane Saturday in Changchun, in Jilin province. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu confirmed the students were healthy, but said the action was “in accordance with pertinent Chinese regulations.” Canada also said it would file a complaint with the World Trade Organization if China did not lift a ban on hog and pork product imports imposed after a herd of pigs in Canada was infected with the H1N1 virus. Medical authorities say swine flu can’t be contracted by eating properly cooked pork. Canada’s complaints come ahead of a visit by Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon to China this weekend. Two US citizens are being quarantined by Chinese health authorities and two others who were quarantined have been released, the US embassy in Beijing said.