Under the theme of “Healthy Pigs, Safe Pork, Healthy People”, the 8th Asian Pig Veterinary Society (APVS) Congress organized by HZAU was inaugurated on May 13, 2017, at East Lake International Conference Center in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, attracting over 1600 delegates from 18 countries and regions. Vice President Gao Chi and other principals attended the opening ceremony which was chaired by Prof. He Qigai and Prof. Guo Aizhen.

Vice President Gao Chi delivered a speech of welcome on behalf of Professor Deng Xiuxin, member of Chinese Academy of Engineering(CAE). In his speech, he pointed out that swine diseases not only seriously restricted the development of pig industry but also profoundly affected the supply and safety of pork products. Thus, we should do a good job in studying the prevention and control of swine diseases to ensure the healthy growth of swine herd, which links closely with human health globally. He introduced HZAU’s advantages in agriculture and life sciences and paid tribute to research team’s great achievements. Under the leadership of Prof. Chen, the research team for prevention and control of swine disease not only made a great contribution to improving the prevention and control of swine diseases as well as swine breeding in China, but also played a vital role in strengthening coordinating relationship between China and other countries and regions in Asia on swine disease research.

Then, Prof. Chen Huanchun, the Chairman of this congress, member of CAE, delivered an opening address. He held that the occurrence and prevalence of swine diseases became diversified and swine diseases could be transmitted across borders, resulting from pathogen variation, increased communications and frequent trades. Under these circumstances, the joint efforts of Asian counties and the rest of world should be made to improve the prevention and control of swine diseases. At the same time, Prof. Chen suggested that enterprise was a vital platform for transforming science and technology into productivity. He also thanked the well-known enterprises at home and abroad for providing technical supports by displaying their advanced prevention and control technology and superior products.

Xin Shengpeng, deputy director of China Animal Disease Control Center and He Nianhua, deputy secretary of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau of Hubei Province, made speeches at the opening ceremony respectively. Then, Prof. Chen gave a report entitled “The Current Situation and Prevention Measures for Swine Diseases in China”. And other reports were also made by delegates from 7 countries and regions such as China, Japan, Korea, Philippines, and Taiwan.

The congress came to an end on May 15, 2017. The scientific committee received 262 articles, including 7 national and regional reports, 9 keynote papers, and 236 abstracts with all the papers coming from 18 countries and regions including China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, America, and Belgium. The 7 world famous experts have been specially invited to deliver the keynote speeches for the plenary session and 47 experts for the parallel session.

http://news.hzau.edu.cn/2017/0513/49157.shtml

(By Fan Xiao)