TNAG-0468-FCO40-533-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 104

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3. ON (A) WE HAVE, FROM 1ST JANUARY, BANNED THE IMPORTATION OF SPECIES LISTED IN THE FIRST SCHEDULE TO THE CONVENTION, BUT MOST OF THE CHINESE SPECIES WE IMPORT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SCHEDULE E.G. PANGOLIN (THE ONE IN THE CONVENTION IS A SOUTH AFRICAN SPECIES: THE CHINESE PANGOLIN IS IN THE SECOND SCHEDULE), CIVET SUD-SPECIES, FERRET-BADGER, LEOPARD CAT, RACOON DOG AND MONKEY, BEYOND THIS WE DO NOT SEE THAT WE COULD JUSTIFY BANNING, FOR CONSERVATION REASONS, THE IMPORT FROM CHINA OF THOSE SPECIES WHICH THE CHINESE THEMSELVES DO NOT CONSIDER TO BE ENDANGERED.

AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE MOST RELUCTANT TO PUT OURSELVES IN THE

POSITION OF APPEARING TO TEACH THE CPG WHAT ITS CONSERVATION

POLICY SHOULD BE. IT WOULD, OF COURSE, BE OPEN TO HMG TO DISCUSS THEIR POLICY WITH THE CPG AND OFFER THE CO-OPERATION OF THE HONG KONG

COVERNMENT IN BANNING THE IMPORTATION OF SPECIES ABOUT WHICH THEY

WEPE CONCERNED. BUT, WHILE THIS MIGHT HAVE PRESENTATIONAL VALUE FOR YOU, YOU WILL REALISE THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING OF A . CHARADE SINCE IT IS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ITSELF, THROUGH ITS TRADING AGENCIES, WHICH EXPORTS THE SPECIES.

4. THE POSSIBILITY ALSO EXISTS OF OUR BANNING IMPORTS OF SKINS

AND PARTS OF INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED RARE ANIMALS. BUT THIS AGAIN RAISES THE QUESTION OF THE CHINESE ATTITUDE TO THE CONVENTION. FOR OUR PART, WE WOULD BE MOST RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS THIS LOCALLY AND, EVEN IF THEY KEPT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTION, THE

CHINESE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO EXPORT SKINS AND PARTS UNDER THE

NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION. OUR ATTITUDE TO THIS IS ALSO COLOURED

BY THE FACT THAT CHINA PRODUCTS LTD. RECENTLY STAGED AN EXHIBITION

OF SKINS, INCLUDING SNOW LEOPARD AND PANDA. WE ARE, HOWEVER, ENDEAVOURING TO FIND OUT THE EXTENT OF THE HONG KONG TRADE IN

SKINS AND WHERE THEY COME FROM.

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IN CONNECTION WITH THIS WE WOULD WELCOME DETAILS OF LIVE ANIMALŞ SKINS AND PARTS BANNED BY THE U.K., TO WHICH YOU REFER IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TELEGRAM. IN PARTICULAR, A BAN ON IMPORTS OF THE ANIMAL QUAIL WOULD, PRIMA FACIE, SEEM SURPRISING. WE WOULD

ALSO WELCOME COPIES OF ALL UK LEGISLATION RELATING TO FAUNA CONTROL.

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