China hosts ASEAN to close net on wildlife crime

Eight officials representing police, Customs and environmental agencies from Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines joined Chinese counterparts to address the issue of cross border illegal wildlife trade.

China is a major consumer of Southeast Asia’s wild animals and plants and has vowed to co-operate with its ASEAN neighbours to help reduce the illegal trade, which has global connections to other major consumer markets in the EU and North America. 

The exchange is the first time ASEAN officials representing the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) have been invited to China to engage directly with their Chinese counterparts to discuss strategies for addressing what has become one of the world’s most profitable forms of black market trade. 

In Huangpu, China opened up its highly secure confiscations warehouse to the visiting officials, displaying wildlife seizures that included several tons of ivory, snake skins and many other wildlife parts. ASEAN representatives were also taken to a market in Shenzhen, where Chinese officials are monitoring possible sales in protected wildlife.
“We want to be open and honest about what’s going on here,” Wan Ziming, Director of the Enforcement and Training Division of China’s State Forestry Administration 

“Everyone is blaming China for consuming Southeast Asia’s wildlife and wants China to solve the problem. The fact is, we are trying but we can’t do this alone. We need to work together with other countries, with ASEAN-WEN, to stop the illegal trade,” said Wan Ziming, Director of the Enforcement and Training Division of China’s State Forestry Administration.

China’s desire for further engagement with ASEAN-WEN in order to protect biodiversity was welcomed by international conservationists. 

“China’s openness gives us hope that more meaningful cross border enforcement co-operation in Asia may be on the horizon,” said Steven Galster, Director of Operations for Wildlife Alliance in Thailand.

“This meeting is very timely with the release of TRAFFIC’s publication on the State of wildlife trade in China, which shows that China has been taking steps to reduce illegal trade,” said Dr Xu Hongfa, TRAFFIC’s China Program Director. 

“These exchanges should be conducted regularly to ensure collaborative efforts between ASEAN and China continue, and to encourage the exchange of timely and accurate information on wildlife crime.” 

The exchange was supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), through the ASEAN-WEN Support Program. Like China, the USA is a major consumer of wildlife and has vowed to support global efforts to reduce illegal wildlife trade. ASEAN-WEN representatives will visit the USA for wildlife forensics training next year.