Wildlife conservation workers measure the tail of Asian elephant "Longlong" at the Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 15, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

China's top market regulator, agriculture and rural affairs ministry and forestry and grassland administration jointly announced on Friday the suspension of implementation of the notice of wildlife trade prohibition issued about two years ago, while Chinese observers said it doesn't mean relaxation on wildlife trade ban as the country has sound law and regulations providing a ban over illegal trade. 

On January 26, 2020, China issued a notice for wildlife trade prohibition to curb possible sources of COVID-19 infection and transmission, authorities stated. Related departments have strengthened supervision of agricultural markets, supermarkets, restaurants and other platforms and achieved positive results in strengthening protection of wildlife, cracking down illegal activities of arbitrary capturing and consumption of wild animals as well as enhancing the public's awareness in resisting excessive consumption and illegal trading of wild animals during the past two years.

The notice was released as one of the measures to prevent and reduce possible COVID-19 spread at that time, one expert said on the conditions of anonymity. 

The expert claimed that suspension of the 2020 notice does not mean relaxation on wildlife trade ban as China has established laws and regulations to prevent illegal wildlife trade and protect wild animals over the recent years especially since 2020. 

On February 24, 2020, China's top legislature announced a decision on thoroughly banning illegal wildlife trade and eliminating the practice of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption to safeguard people's lives and health.  

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on May 29, 2020 unveiled national livestock and poultry genetic resources list, which further clarifies the boundary between the terrestrial wildlife animals and domestic livestock and poultry. 

Given the related regulations and rules have been improved, the notice of wildlife trade prohibition issued in 2020 was suspended, the latest statement said. 
 
Three departments required that after the suspension, the relevant departments need to continue to strengthen the protection of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, to crack down on illegal activities in accordance with the current laws and regulations of wildlife protection, fisheries and animal epidemic prevention, as well as the decision announced by China's top legislature on banning illegal wildlife trade and eliminating the practice of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption.