TNAG-0470-FCO40-535-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 145

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1

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72617002-

O

143

Telephone 01-

TH Scott, Esq.,

Executive Director International Society

for The Protection of Animals

106 Jermyn Street

London SW1

LAST

REF.

(113)

NEW

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178

10

Your reference

ОЗЛІВОЗН

Our reference

Date

3 July 1974

Your letter THS/NC/JM of 12 June about the import of wildlife from China into Hong Kong, addressed to the Minister of Overseas Development, has been passed to this Department for reply.

A

The

Hong Kong is, of course, predominantly a Chinese society. Hong Kong Government do not seek to dictate to their people what they should or should not eat, provided that the animals and birds are humanely treated and killed, and that internationally accepted restrictions on trade in endangered species are observed. The Hong Kong Government are, however, well aware of the problems, which arise from the wildlife trade and have recently passed further legislation and taken other measures to deal with them.

B

As far as endangered species are concerned, the Hong Kong Government have already banned, as from 1 January 1974, the importation of threatened species listed in Appendix 1 to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. As for other potentially endangered species, such as those in Appendix II of the Convention, the decision on whether they were in fact endangered would be, under the Convention, for the Chinese Government. Our Ambassador in Peking has therefore raised the problem with the Chinese authorities. The Chinese Government already pay great attention to the protection of their own wildlife resources, and they have now undertaken to look into this question. There is the further problem of the condition of the animals and birds when imported, and their treatment within Hong Kong.The Hong Kong Government have enacted Regulations which impose strict, control over the trade in live animals and birds and which lay down strict standards which will have to be met before any licence is issued to traders.

/These