TNAG-0469-FCO40-534-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 80

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topon mehed-5.12.73

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"ANS THE Governments, of

Britain and Hongkong -closely in cahoots as the latter would have had us believo during recent revelations? Hardly, if the politicking that surround an atrocious trade in wild life from the People's Republic of China to the restaurant tables of Hong-

· kong is anything to go by. In :spite of the official Chinese -line which favours the con- servation of wild life, China has made no attempts to stop the lucrative exports which cater for the luxurious capital. 1st feeding habits of the llong- kong rich.

The trade is mainly in birds of prey of which Hongkong appears to be the world's MONL VDEMEZOLL Vofkvipuei, (Britain has virtually pro hibited their entry here in the past three years.). Tho Chinese Insist on fresh killed meat which results in terrible cruelties to birds and animals during transportation. Birds, monkeys, half-starved civet cats, forret badgers, and the Chineto scaly ant-cater aro all cooped in tiny cages and shipped down the Si-Kiang froin Canton,

Patricia Penn, who used to Hve in Hongkong. has com- pilve # frightening radio Putaentary which Invest. gates this problem, and can be heard on Radio 4 tonior- yrow, The -trouble is, she says, that anything the Chinese chose ta export the Hongkong authorities tinct hard to turn back, and where there are supplies there will be demand. The trade economically worthl bringing around £60,000 a time wag the

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And in a rive Travind weYNONY

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it is painfully obvious what- may be the result in the ! numbers of carnivores who prey on grain, posts,

But the Hongkong Govern- ment is unlikely to act. directly in the interests of China and seems just as un- likely to take action On grounds of cruelty. The police will take action only If complaints are forthcoming from government officials or the Hongkong SPCA, but they have had no such requests in the past two years. Oficials are afraid of reprisals from the Communist dealers, and trend a wary line between poritical Sand PCONOMIC balance, But persistance with the tređe could soon prove embarrassing Britain is # signtory to en las yet un- `ratified) convention on Inter. *; Instion:1 Trade in Endangered 'Species."of Wild Fauna and

Flora, There are hopes.. (which'stop short ul prese aure). Dat the colony will follow suit, Buchet

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