Nine ministries under China's State Council on Saturday clarified the responsibilities concerning the prevention and control of bird flu in a joint notice.

According to the notice, the industrial and commercial departments must strengthen supervision of markets, close the markets of live poultry and related products, and crack down on illegal trade and production.

The commercial and quality quarantine departments must monitor more closely the slaughtering, processing and cold-storage of poultry, and prevent poultry from leaving bird flu-affected areas.

The agricultural departments must improve their epidemic monitoring and reporting networks in the non-affected areas, and ensure the quality and safety of poultry products from those places.

The industrial and commercial, public security and quarantine departments must supervise the quality of bird flu-prevention materials and other products that closely affect people's lives.

The railways, communications and civil aviation departments must tighten control over transportation nationwide, and ensure the smooth passage of poultry products from non-affected areas.

The public security departments and armed police must help related departments in the work of sealing and slaughtering in the epidemic-hit areas, and ensure social order and security.

The related departments must guide the people to learn about and prevent bird flu, and crack down on profiteers and rumor-mongers.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2004)