China's quarantine authorities blocked 1,632 detrimental species on 29,311 occasions from entering the country in the first six months of 2004, up 9.5 and 27.8 percent respectively over t he same period of 2003.

"In the first half year, the amount of epidemic cases and poisonous and detrimental substances intercepted has shown a rising trend," said the State Administration of Quality Supervision and Quarantine on Monday.

Statistics from the administration indicate that 57.9 percent of the intercepted species are insects, 22.4 percent weeds, 10.5 percent epiphytes and 8.3 eelworms.

"The epidemics are mainly from the United States, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and India," said the administration, adding that they are mainly carried in wood, wooden packaging, soybean and fruits.

"We will enhance quality supervision and quarantine work to prevent the entrance of pests and detrimental materials," said a senior official with the administration.

Source: Xinhua