China imported a shipment of 29 tonnes of Brazilian frozen beef worth 1.37 million yuan (about US$194,800) through the southern port of Zhanjiang, Xinhua reports.

The Chinese government-run news agency said the shipment of frozen meat was the first to enter China through the port of Zhanjiang since 2016.

The report says much of the customs clearance work was done in advance.

Further shipments of imported meat, including Brazilian and Spanish meat, will enter through the port in due course, Xinhua says.