Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on ending unnecessary ad hoc cosmetics testing on animals by Chinese authorities on shipments of cosmetic products imported into China.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade discussed the issue of the mandatory requirement for animal testing for imported non-special use cosmetics products into China, with the Chinese government, during the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) in August 2018.

In addition, HM Ambassador to China has also discussed the matter with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

In the JETCO the two governments agreed to work towards ensuring British cosmetics companies receive equal treatment to domestic manufacturers, specifically concerning the requirement to test on animals.