China argues against loosening of ivory ban
Date: 05-Nov-02
Country: CHINA
The Chinese delegate to the 160-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species or CITES, meeting in Santiago from Nov. 3 to 15, said China was struggling to control the illegal ivory trade.
He said the brief lifting of the ban in 1997 to allow one-time sales of ivory to Japan led to an increase in clandestine ivory exports to China.
"Many Chinese people misunderstood that ban decision and believe international trade in ivory has been resumed," Chinese delegate Wan Ziming told reporters.
The sale of ivory was prohibited worldwide in 1989 after the African elephant population fell to 600,000 from 1.2 million in just over a decade.
The temporary easing of the ban five years ago allowed three African nations to make one-time sales to Japan of stockpiles of ivory dating from before the ban.
Four southern African nations - Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa - now say their elephant populations are stable and want CITES to allow the regulated sale of ivory stockpiles followed by annual quotas. Zambia also seeks to put its 17-tonne ivory stockpile on the market, but has not asked for any annual quotas.
China's statement echoed the findings of conservationists, who oppose any renewal of the ivory trade, saying it encourages poaching and illegal trade that threaten all African and Asian elephants. Kenya and India also oppose the proposal.
"Illegal ivory seizures in China are higher than in other countries.... Since 1996, there have been about 100 ivory-related cases detected," Ziming said.
Heavy demand from Japan, the other big market for ivory, was also fueling a highly lucrative smuggling business via Singapore and Taiwan, conservationists said.
Japan, which environmentalists say has weak trade control mechanisms, has not commented on the African proposals to increase the trade in ivory.
China, which allows domestic trade in ivory products from a pre-ban stockpile, said it expected raw ivory to be illegally imported once the stockpile was depleted.
The nation's growing middle class is buying more of the expensive ivory products.
