Conservation is based on the two principles of breeding of rare species and restrictions on the hunting of them. There are two grades of rare species. It is completely forbidden to hunt the rarest grade either in their breeding grounds or outside unless specific permission has been obtained from the authorities; this permission might be given if the animals were required for scientific research, for zoos or for exchanges with other countries. This grade of species includes pandas, golden- haired monkeys, takins, the North-East tigers, wild elephants, wild ox and red-haired cranes. As for the less rare grade of protected species, hunting of them is subject to an annual quota and to regula- tions about the seasons in which they may be hunted; on humanitarian grounds there are also regulations about the methods to be used in hunting them.
In the last year there has been a meeting under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to revise the draft regulations about the conservation of wildlife and nature. Our Embassy asked if they could have a copy of these regulations, or at least see a complete list of the protected species. They were, however, told that the lists had not yet been promulgated and were still under discussion.
Another grey area is the treatment of "Aquatic Products" including the Giant Salamander. These come under the Chinese Government's Division of Aquatic Products. They still lack the regulations referred to above which are prepared for land animals by the Forestry Division. The nature and scope of regulations for the Aquatic Products Division are said to be under review. But the Chinese authorities said that they were well aware of the need to protect the Giant Salamander, which they referred to as a "rare and precious animal". They said that the number of Giant Salamanders had fallen sharply in recent years because of indiscriminate catching, but they were in no danger of extinction. Breeding grounds had been started on a trial basis in Szechwan and Hopei.
All this suggests that the Chinese Government are alive to the need for and the problems of internal control. Their national regulatory system is still clearly in the drafting stage, but as you will know there is often no clear distinction in China between a local authority's "education" programme and national regulations.
/Our Embassy.