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7. THE CHINESE ARE AT THE BEST OF TIMES UNWILLING TO ACCEPT DOCUMENTARY CONTROL IMPOSED BY US (E.G. PASSPORTS). AS THE TRADE IS CONTROLLED BY THE COMMUNISTS, DOCUMENTATION WOULD ANYWAY BE IMPERFECT, EVEN IF THEY AGREED TO COMPLY, AND THE BEST WE COULD HOPE FOR WOULD BE RETURNS EX POST FACTO TO THE C AND I DEPARTMENT. SO LONG AS CHINA REMAINS OUTSIDE THE CONVENTION WE WOULD BE BOUND BY ARTICLE X, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO INTERPRET THIS VERY LIBERALLY.
8. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE WOULD SEE NO OBJECTION TO PEKING SPEAKING ON THE LINES PROPOSED IN THEIR TELEGRAM NO 79, PERHAPS NAMING THE GIANT SALAMANDER AND THE PANGOLIN AS SPECIES WHICH WE UNDERSTAND MIGHT BE THREATENED. SIR JOHN ADDIS DURING HIS RECENT VISIT SAID THAT HE HAD NO OBJECTION TO MAKING THIS APPROACH,
9. THE CHINESE REACTION MAY EITHER BE TO LET THE TRADE CONTINUE,
THUS IMPLICITLY DEMONSTRATING THAT THE SPECIES WAS NOT THREATENED, OR SIMPLY TO STOP IT. EITHER WAY I HOPE THAT OUR OBLIGATION COULD BE HELD TO HAVE BEEN FULFILLED. BUT UNTIL CHINA
SIGNS THE CONVENTION I DO NOT SEE HOW WE COULD GO FURTHER AND DEMAND EXPORT LICENCES.
10. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO INSPECT ALL ANIMALS AND BIRDS ON ENTRY AS THEY ARRIVE BY JUNK AT ANY HOUR. EFFECTIVE INSPECTION
CAN TAKE PLACE AT THE PREMISES OF THE FOUR MAIN TRADERS, WHICH ARE CLOSE TO THE POINTS OF LANDING. IN RECENT WEEKS THESE PREMISES HAVE BEEN INSPECTED EVERY DAY, TO ENSURE THAT THE PHYSICAL STATE OF IMPORTED ANIMALS IS SATISFACTORY, THAT THEY ARE KEPT IN
DEQUATE CONDITIONS AND THAT THE PREMISES ARE UP TO THE STANDARDS
REQUIRED OF LICENSED DEALERS,
11. TWO OF THE FOUR DEALERS HAVE BEEN LICENSED AND THE OTHER TWO WILL BE WHEN IMPROVEMENTS ON WHICH WE INSISTED UNDER OUR REGULATIONS
ARE COMPLETED.
12. THESE DAILY INSPECTIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT THE CONDITION OF THE IMPORTED SPECIES HAS IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY THIS YEAR. INDEED WE HAVE SEEN NO SIGNS OF CRUELTY OR OF UNDESIRABLE PRACTICES. THE TRADERS HAVE, FURTHERMORE, COMPLIED WITH ALL REQUESTS THAT DAMAGED
ANIMALS BE DESTROYED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT MAY THEREFORE BE THAT THE CHINESE HAVE, TYPICALLY, TAKEN THE HINT FROM THE PUBLIC CONTROVERSY.
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