Hong Kong Friday suspended beef imports from a United States plant for its violating of the city's rules to fight mad cow disease, but having no intention to have a total ban on all US beef.

The decision took effect immediately, said the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (HKSAR)

The move followed Thursday night's discovery of bones in beef imports from the Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation in Kansas, said a statement published at the website of the HKSAR government.

The Hong Kong authorities have no intention to reimpose a total ban on all beef imports from the US.

Hong Kong resumed beef imports from the US starting from December 29, 2005, under the condition that only boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months can be imported.

Besides, high-risk materials such as brain and spinal cord of the cattle have to be removed during slaughtering and the beef could be imported from designated plants approved by the US.
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(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2006)