CONFIDENTIAL
BRITISH EMBASSY
PEKING
8 March 1974
76
7/3
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REF.
H 1 Davies Esq
FED
FCO
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Dear Hugh,
The Corson
HKD).
Your primarily
раматутна
18/3
IMPORTATION OF CHINESE WILDLIFE INTO HONG KONG
1.
2.
Please refer to our telno 156 of 6 March.
I attach the record of the Ambassador's meeting with Wang Tung on 5 March together with a copy of the list he handed over of species which might be threatened by the trade in Hong Kong. Although Wang listened sympathetically, I fear it is unlikely that the Chinese will come back with much detailed information. The most we can probably hope for is that there may
We should be some changes in the pattern of trade in Hong Kong. therefore be grateful if Hong Kong could keep us informed about the figures of threatened species which appear in the shops in Hong Kong.
You
3.
Unless there is a response from the Chinese I suggest that the best line to take in replies to letters from MPs on this subject is to say that the subject has been raised in Peking and
it would be that the Chinese undertook to look into the question; fair to add that they emphasised that they already pay great attention to the protection of their own wildlife resources. might also like to point out that in the first issue of the new quarterly "Zoological Magazine" there is a report of a meeting held in Peking between 15 and 24 October 1973 to discuss the protection and investigation of rare wildlife resources. Amongst the subjects discussed was revision of the draft "Regulations on the Protection of Wildlife Resources". We shall try to get details of species which are listed in these regulations.
4.
There is one point in which our reading of the "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora" differs from that of Hong Kong. Hong Kong telegram No 86 to FCO para 4 suggests that the Chinese would still be able to export skins and parts of threatened animals under the provisions of the Convention. This does not seem to be true of species listed in Appendix I since Article III 3(c) requires that the importing state be "satisfied that the specimen is not to be used for
Thus if the Convention were to primarily commercial purposes". apply without restriction to Hong Kong it seems that the trade in skins of Leopard, Clouded Leopard, South China Tiger and Snow Leopard would have to cease irrespective of the Chinese assessment of how the trade affected these species.
Copied to:
T J B George Esq
APA Hong Kong
Miss P M Kelly HKIOD FCO
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