Chinese in Africa told: ‘Don’t buy ivory’

Many people don't realise it's illegal August 2011: TRAFFIC and the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) are targeting Chinese nationals living in Africa with their message not to bring ivory and other illegal wildlife products into China.

A series of Chinese-language broadcasts about Stop the illegal trade in ivory are being aired throughout Africa between July and the end of August by China Radio International (CRI).

As the number of Chinese nationals living and visiting Africa has increased in recent years - several hundred thousand Chinese workers currently live in Africa, working in a variety of industries including mining, forestry and infrastructure development - so has the frequency of cases in which Chinese nationals have been found illegally transporting ivory and other wildlife products to China.

A typical example occurred last month, when Huanggang Customs in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province caught a man illegally entering China with 3.5 kg of ivory products from Africa.

Combatting a basic lack of awarenessThe radio broadcasts aim to counteract the basic lack of awareness among Chinese citizens about the illegality of transporting ivory and the consequences of being caught. Some people claim not to know it is illegal and others believe that if caught, they only face having the goods confiscated.

But, as the radio programmes highlight, the consequences of smuggling ivory are far more serious, with anyone found guilty facing anything between five years and permanent imprisonment under Chinese Criminal Law.

‘The open sale of ivory in illegal domestic markets in parts of Africa may give the false impression it can be legally purchased, but buyers should be aware they could end up behind bars for years,' said Jianbin Shi, head of TRAFFIC's China programme.

Illegal ivory trade is escalatingRegulations governing the import and export of ivory and other wildlife products between Africa and China are covered in detail during the radio broadcasts, including those under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

A new report published revealing the escalating levels of illegal ivory trade and poaching of elephants was presented to government delegates at the 61st meeting of the Standing Committee to CITES earlier this month.

In 2009, China's Customs agency detected around 860 cases of smuggling of endangered species products, almost 800 of them elephant tusks or ivory products. Logistics companies too have witnessed a rise in the number of cases of illegal transportation of wildlife products, with often large quantities of protected items such as ivory, skins of Asian big cats, pangolin scales and antelope horns discovered.
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