Illegal Ivory Trade in ChinaJiang Nan

Nanjing Forest Police College

Research Background Research Purpose Research Question Research Method Conclusion and Discussion

1.It was said that the population of African elephants has declined from 1.3 million in 1979 to 419,000 this year, and the demand for ivory threats the survival of elephant species.

2.According to UNODC survey, China is the largest illegal ivory market in the world, and the annual cost of ivory in China market worth US $ 20 million per year.

Research Background

3. Environmental Investigation Association (EIA) criticized that imperfect ivory regulation and failure law enforcement resulted in China as the largest illegal ivory market in the world.

4. Zhao Shucong, administrator of SFA, claimed that China had established perfected wildlife law system and wildlife law enforcement system, and no illegal wildlife crime would escape punished in China.

1. What has China done in policy making to prevent illegal ivory trade?

2. What is the pattern of illegal ivory trade in China?

3. How should China perfect its policy on preventing illegal ivory trade?

Research Purposes

1. What is the pattern of illegal ivory traffic in China?

2. Whether criminal group involved illegla ivory in China?

3.What did China preventing illegal ivory trade?

Research questions

1. Collecting Data 106 seizure ivory cases collected between 1999-2014 from Internet website.

Main source origin --- State Forestry Administration website http://www.forestry.gov.cn --- other media website http://www.chinadaily.com.cn http://www.ifeng.com http://www.china.com.cn

Research method

2. Data analysis Frequency \Periodic tide of illegal ivory trade

Traffic methods of illegal ivory trade Hot spots of illegal ivory trade Large-scale of illegal ivory trade Transnational ivory gangs in illegal ivory trade

1. China has made comprehensive policy on preventing illegal ivory trade.

--Attended CITES and other international agreement

--Made and amended wildlife protection law /regulations

--Amended criminal law on combating illegal ivory trade

Jun. 2001 and Sep. 2012 “How to evaluate the cost of seized ivory during wildlife criminal procedure”

Conclusion and Discussion

No.

Code/ International Agreement Date

1 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Jan. 1981

2 Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife

Mar. 1989

3 Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China (Amended)

Jan. 1997

4 Supreme People's Court judicial interpretation on wildlife crime

Nov. 2000

5  Interpretation of Article 341 of Criminal code  

Apr. 2014

--Perfect wildlife trade administration Forbid to sell endangered wildlife or its by-product at ports of exit and entry quarantine zone (Aug. 2002 )

To inspect and clean enterprises which involved wildlife processing and sale (Jan. 2003; Sep. 2013 )

China’s Wildlife Enforcement Agency No Wildlife enforcement Central Ministry

1 Forest Public Security Agency

State Forest Administration

2 Anti Smuggling Agency Customs Service

3 Border Police (Armed Police)

Public Security Ministry

4 CITES Coordination Office State Forest Administration

2. Illegal ivory trade pattern in China reveals that it is a severe and growing problem.

-- Frequency of illegal ivory trade

--Three tides of illegal ivory trade has occurred in China

--Spatial distribution of illegal ivory trade

--Category of ivory illegal trafficked in China

--Traffic method of illegal ivory trade

--Source state of illegal ivory in ChinaContinent Source states Total of

Seizure cases

African Angola, Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa,

Sierra Leone Togo, Zimbabwe, etc.

44

Asia Japan, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Yemen,

etc.

14

America U.S.A 5

--Wildlife Criminal groups involve in China’s illegal ivory trade

Seizure cases number of criminals 35 >220 >39 >54 >10

-- Foreign criminal involves illegal ivory trade

State CriminalsMyanmar 2

USA 1Japan 1

Vietnam 1Guinean 1

3. Large-scale illegal ivory trade ( >100 kg /per case)

---Frequency of large-scale ivory trade

Large-scale Ivory Trade

PeriodConfiscated Cases

(Case) Weigh (Tonnes)

2000-20051 1.4325

2006-20097 2.0943

2010-201410 20.884

---Hot spots of large-scale ivory trade

No Province Seizure cases

1 Guangxi 4

2 Guangdong 3

3 Fujian 3

4 Zhejiang 3

5 Beijing 2

--large-scale ivory trades are transnational wildlife crime.

1. Illegal ivory trade in China is a series and growing problem.

2. Transnational wildlife crimes are main method of in illegal ivory trade in China.

3. Some provinces in southern China are hotspots of illegal ivory trade.

4. Enhance international wildlife enforcement cooperation and coordination is a key to improve the efficiency of combating illegal ivory trade in China.

Conclusion and Discussion