VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government has banned the import of live animals from China following the coronavirus outbreak in the country, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has said. "The government has banned the import of live animals from China. If (live animals) have been imported, they will be returned since the disease can be transmitted from humans to humans and wild animals," he said at the Bogor Presidential Palace Tuesday.

He made the remarks after attending a limited meeting headed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to discuss the preparedness to face the impact of the coronavirus.

The policy followed the government's decision to ban all newcomers arriving from mainland China and those staying in mainland China for 14 days from entering and transiting Indonesia and to temporarily suspend the issuance of visas on arrival for Chinese citizens.

The policy does not apply to the import of goods including horticultural goods such as garlic and fruits because the goods are not related to the transmission of the disease, he said.

The government is mulling further action including studying the impact of the outbreak on the national economy, he said.

"We will keep monitoring (the spread of coronavirus) in China until mid-February. The outbreak is expected to last until mid-February and their quarantine will be evaluated at the end of February, so we will do the same," he said.

Responding to the decline in the number of Chinese tourists visiting Indonesia, he said the government will encourage domestic travelers to visit various tourist destinations in the country.

"The government will encourage travels to tourist destinations in Bali, Batam, Bintan and Manado by offering special tariffs. We will also encourage domestic conferences and MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition) to be held in the tourist resorts to boost the numbers," he said.

The live animals the government has banned from being imported include reptiles, Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto said.

"The decision is that we ban the import of live animals. All live animals such as turtles, snakes and reptiles are banned because they are related to the virus," he said. (ANTARA)