The Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu Festival falls on June 14 this year, which is the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar.

On this day, zongzi or rice dumplings are a traditional festival food that is closely asssociated with the holiday. As a result, many people choose to send zongzi to their friends or relatives abroad.

However, there are some provisions one needs to pay attention to and follow when importing or exporting zongzi.

For imports, the national authorities rule that meat zongzi that have not undergone quarantine inspection are not allowed to enter China due to the potential rise of animal epidemic diseases.

In addition, there is another provision ruling that plant materials that are able to reproduce, such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and seeds, should not be allowed to be imported either.

In conclusion, zongzi that are able to be sent into China should not contain animal products inside and have to be boiled.

For exports, several countries also share similar provisions with China in terms of importing zongzi. Countries like New Zealand and Japan prohibit zongzi containing meat and yolk from entering their countries.

Hangzhou Customs has reminded the public that people should learn about the local provisions about zongzi imports in the destination countries that they intend to send them to beforehand, thus avoiding unnecessary issues.

Zongzi or rice dumplings are a Chinese traditional festive food that is popular during the Dragon Boat Festival. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]