Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T11:19:38.472Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

How China's Wildlife Trade Legislation Permits Commercial Trade in Protected Wild Animal Species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 July 2021

Aron White
Aron White*
Affiliation:
Environmental Investigation Agency, London, UK. Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Wildlife trade policies in China and elsewhere have come under increased scrutiny following suggestions that the emergence of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 may have been linked to trade in wild animals. The breeding of and trade in most terrestrial wild animal species for consumption as food were prohibited in China in February 2020, but trade for non-food purposes such as ornamental items or traditional medicine continues to be covered by provisions in the Wildlife Protection Law (WPL). While a superficial reading of the WPL could lead to the conclusion that commercial trade in nationally protected species is generally prohibited, in practice key language is interpreted to permit commercial trade in the parts and derivatives of protected wild animal species, including those subject to the most stringent protection within China and internationally, such as leopards and pangolins.

摘要

摘要

在新型冠状病毒 SARS-CoV-2 疫情的影响下，中国与其他地区的野生动物贸易政策受到了越来越多的关注。2020 年 2 月，中国禁止了对大多数陆生野生动物物种以食用为目的的人工繁育和贸易，但以中医药、装饰品等非食用为目的的贸易仍然适用《野生动物保护法》的规定进行。浅读《野生动物保护法》可令人以为所有国家保护野生动物的商业性贸易都是违法，但在运作上，法律中的关键词被解释为允许对国家重点保护野生动物包括豹（Panthera pardus）和穿山甲（Manidae）等那些在中外受到最严格保护的物种的个体部分和制品进行商业性贸易。

Keywords

wildlife tradewildlife conservationtraditional Chinese medicineCITESleopardpangolin野生动物贸易野生动物保护中医药《濒危野生动植物种国际贸易公约》豹穿山甲
Type
Research Report
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 248 , Issue 1 , December 2021 , pp. 1212 - 1225
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Challender, Dan, Sas-Rolfes, Michael, Ades, Gary, Chin, Jason, Sun, Nick, Chong, Ju Lian, Connelly, Ellen et al. 2019a. “Evaluating the feasibility of pangolin farming and its potential conservation impact.” Global Ecology and Conservation 20, p.e00714. 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00714.10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00714CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Challender, Dan, Wu, Shibao, Kaspal, Prativa, Khatiwada, Ambika, Ghose, Animesh, Sun, Nick Ching-Min, Mohapatra, Rajesh .K. et al. 2019b. “Manis pentadactyla.” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019, e.T12764A168392151. 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T12764A168392151.en.Google Scholar
CITES Management Authority of China. 2007. “Report on implementing Resolution Conf. 12.5 of CITES,” https://www.cites.org/sites/default/files/common/cop/14/doc/E14-52A01.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
CITES Management Authority of China. 2015. Presentation to the third meeting of the signatories to the “Convention on Migratory Species Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use of the Saiga Antelope,” Tashkent, October 2015.Google Scholar
CITES Management Authority of China. 2019. “A report on the management of Asian big cat captive facilities in China,” https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/18/doc/E-CoP18-071-01.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
CITES Secretariat. 2019a. “Review of implementation of Resolution Conf. 12.5 (Rev. CoP17) on conservation of and trade in tigers and other Appendix-I Asian big cats,” https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/18/doc/E-CoP18-071-01.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
CITES Secretariat. 2019b. “Conf. 12.5 (Rev. CoP18), conservation of and trade in tigers and other Appendix-I Asian big cat species,” https://www.cites.org/sites/default/files/document/E-Res-12-05-R18.pdf. Accessed 3 June 2020.Google Scholar
Crudge, Brian, Nguyen, Trang and Cao, Tien Trung. 2018. “The challenges and conservation implications of bear bile farming in Viet Nam.” Oryx 54(2), 252–259. 10.1017/S0030605317001752.10.1017/S0030605317001752CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cunningham, Andrew A., Turvey, Samuel T., Zhou, Feng, Meredith, Helen M.R., Guan, Wei, Liu, Xinglian, Sun, Changming et al. 2016. “Development of the Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) farming industry in Shaanxi province, China: conservation threats and opportunities.” Oryx 50(2), 265–273. 10.1017/S0030605314000842.10.1017/S0030605314000842CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Drury, Rebecca. 2009. “Reducing urban demand for wild animals in Vietnam: examining the potential of wildlife farming as a conservation tool.” Conservation Letters 2(6), 263–270. 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2009.00078.x.10.1111/j.1755-263X.2009.00078.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dutton, Adam J., Hepburn, Cameron and MacDonald, David W.. 2011. “A stated preference investigation into the Chinese demand for farmed vs wild bear bile.” PLoS ONE 6(7), e21243. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021243.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EIA (Environmental Investigation Agency). 2013. “Hidden in plain sight: China's clandestine tiger trade,” https://eia-international. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
EIA. 2018. “Down to the bone: China's alarming trade in leopard bones,” https://eia-international.org/report/down-to-the-bone-chinas-alarming-trade-in-leopard-bones/. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
EIA. 2020a. “Bitter pill to swallow: China's flagrant trade in leopard bone products,” https://eia-international.org/report/bitter-pill-to-swallow-chinas-flagrant-trade-in-leopard-bone-products/. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
EIA. 2020b. “Smoke and mirrors: China's complicity in the global illegal pangolin trade,” https://eia-international.org/report/chinas-complicity-in-the-global-illegal-pangolin-trade-smoke-and-mirrors/. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
EIA. 2020c. “Behind closed doors: lack of transparency in ongoing permitted use of threatened wild animal species in China,” https://eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/Behind-Closed-Doors-Lack-of-transparency-in-permitted-trade-of-threatened-species-in-China.pdf.Google Scholar
EIA. 2020d. “China's lawmakers called on to end commercial exploitation of threatened wild animal species,” https://eia-international.org/news/chinas-lawmakers-called-on-to-end-commercial-exploitation-of-threatened-wild-animal-species/. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
EndPandemics. 2020. “Urgent need for revision of China's Wildlife Protection Law to adopt One Health principles and precautionary approach to the commercial trade in wild animals for food and non-food purposes,” https://endpandemics.earth/action-china-wildlife-protection-law.html. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
Garshelis, Dave, and Steinmetz, Robert. 2020. “Ursus thibetanus (amended version of 2016 assessment).” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020, e.T22824A166528664. 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22824A166528664.en.Google Scholar
Gratwicke, Brian, Mills, Judy, Dutton, Adam, Gabriel, Grace, Long, Barney, Seidensticker, John, Wright, Belinda et al. 2008. “Attitudes toward consumption and conservation of tigers in China.” PLoS One 3(7), e2544. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0002544.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guojia yaodian weiyuanhui. 2020. Zhonghua renmin gongheguo yao dian, 2020 nian ban (Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China, 2020 Edition). Beijing: Huaxue gongye chubanshe.Google Scholar
Jacobson, Andrew P., Gerngross, Peter, Lemeris, Joseph R. Jr., Schoonover, Rebecca F., Anco, Corey, Breitenmoser-Würsten, Christine, Durant, Sarah M. et al. 2016. “Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range.” PeerJ 4, e1974. 10.7717/peerj.1974.10.7717/peerj.1974CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jiang, Zhigang, Li, Chunwang, Fang, Hongxia, Meng, Zhibin and Zeng, Yan. 2007. “Captive-bred tigers and the fate of wild tigers.” BioScience 57(9), 725. 10.1641/B570922.10.1641/B570922CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kirkpatrick, R. Craig, and Emerton, Lucy. 2010. “Killing tigers to save them: fallacies of the farming argument.” Conservation Biology 24(3), 655–659. 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01468.x.10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01468.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Laguardia, Alice, Kamler, Jan F., Li, Sheng, Zhang, Chengcheng, Zhou, Zhefeng and Shi, Kun. 2015. “The current distribution and status of leopards Panthera pardus in China.” Oryx 51(1), 153–159. 10.1017/S0030605315000988.10.1017/S0030605315000988CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, Peter. 2004. “China's bear farming and long-term solutions.” Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science: JAAWS (7), 71–80. 10.1207/s15327604jaws0701_5.10.1207/s15327604jaws0701_5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lu, Roujian, Zhao, Xiang, Li, Juan, Niu, Peihua, Yang, Bo, Wu, Honglong, Wang, Wenling et al. 2020. “Genomic characterisation and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: implications for virus origins and receptor binding.” The Lancet 395(10224), 565–574. 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30251-8.10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30251-8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mills, J.A. (ed.). 1997. Rhinoceros Horn and Tiger Bone in China: An Investigation of Trade since the 1993 Ban. Cambridge: TRAFFIC International.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. 2017. “Zhonghua renmin gonghe guo nongyebu gonggao di 2608 hao” (Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China Notification No. 2608), http://www.moa.gov.cn/nybgb/2017/201712/201802/t20180202_6136346.htm. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 2018. “Wenhua he lüyou bu feiwuzhi wenhua yichan si guanyu shenqing zhengfu xinxi gongkai de dafu” (Intangible Cultural Heritage Office response to application for publication of government information), https://c.m.163.com/news/a/DI3C22360001899N.html?spss=wap_refluxdl_2018&referFrom=. Accessed 29 April 2020.Google Scholar
Ministry of Forestry and Ministry of Agriculture. 1989. “Guojia zhongdian baohu yesheng dongwu minglu” (List of wild animals under special state protection), http://www.forestry.gov.cn/main/3954/20180104/1063883.html. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
Ministry of Natural Resources. 2020. “Quanguo renda changweihui fagongwei qidong yesheng dongwu baohu fa xiugai” (National People's Congress Standing Committee Legal Affairs Commission begins revision of Wildlife Protection Law), 10 February, http://www.mnr.gov.cn/dt/ywbb/202002/t20200216_2499250.html. Accessed 29 April 2020.Google Scholar
NFGA (National Forestry and Grassland Administration). 2020. “Chuanshanjia bei tisheng wei guojia yiji baohu yesheng dongwu” (Pangolins upgraded to first-class nationally protected wild animal), www.forestry.gov.cn/main/3095/20200608/170847961137579.html. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
Pieterse, Patricia. 2020. “Wildlife group submits suggestions for law revision,” https://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/news/2020/11/wildlife-group-submits-suggestions-for-law-revision. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
State Council. 1993. “Guowuyuan guanyu jinzhi xiniujiao he hugu maoyi de tongzhi” (Circular of the State Council on banning the trade of rhinoceros horns and tiger bones), http://www.lawinfochina.com/display.aspx?id=12109&lib=law. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
State Council. 2018. “Guowuyuan guanyu yange guanzhi xiniu he hu ji qi zhipin jingying liyong huodong de tongzhi” (State Council Notification regarding strict control of management and utilization of rhinoceroses, tigers and the products thereof), http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2018-10/29/content_5335423.htm. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
State Forestry Administration. 2004. “Guojia zhongdian baohu yesheng yaocai wuzhong minglu” (List of wild medicinal ingredient species under special state protection), http://www.forestry.gov.cn/ynb/4769/20150922/802380.html. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
State Forestry Administration. 2017. “Guojia linye ju gonggao 2017 nian di 14 hao” (State Forestry Administration Notification No. 14, 2017), http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2017-08/23/content_5219758.htm. Accessed 3 June 2020.Google Scholar
State Forestry Administration and State Administration for Industry and Commerce. 2003. “Guojia linye ju, guojia gongshang zongju guanyu dui liyong yesheng dongwu ji qi chanpin de shengchan qiye jinxing qingli zhengdun he kaizhan biaoji shidian gongzuo de tongzhi” (Notification regarding reorganization and rectifying of manufacturers using wild animals and the products thereof and launching trial labelling scheme), https://www.pkulaw.com/chl/c79f2197bd5a1476bdfb.html. Accessed 19 November 2020.Google Scholar
Stein, Andrew, Athreya, Vidya, Gerngross, Peter, Balme, Guy, Henschel, Philipp, Karanth, Ullas, Miquelle, Dale et al. 2020. “Panthera pardus (amended version of 2019 assessment).” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020, e.T15954A163991139. 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T15954A163991139.en.Google Scholar
Tensen, Laura. 2016. “Under what circumstances can wildlife farming benefit species conservation?” Global Ecology and Conservation 6, 286–298. 10.1016/j.gecco.2016.03.007.10.1016/j.gecco.2016.03.007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Turvey, Samuel T., Chen, Shu, Tapley, Benjamin, Wei, Gang, Xie, Feng, Yan, Fang, Yang, Jian et al. 2018. “Imminent extinction in the wild of the world's largest amphibian.” Current Biology 28(10), 592–94. 10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.005.10.1016/j.cub.2018.04.005CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, Wenxia, Yang, Liangliang, Wronski, Torsten, Chen, Shaozhi, Hu, Yanjie and Huang, Songlin. 2019. “Captive breeding of wildlife resources – China's revised supply-side approach to conservation.” Wildlife Society Bulletin 43(3), 425–435. 10.1002/wsb.988.10.1002/wsb.988CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed