China Bans Consumption of Wild Animals

All terrestrial wild animals cannot be consumed for food purposes. Only animal species included in the "Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Catalogue” can be consumed. MOARA is developing the catalog and is likely to include both a positive and negative list based on expert guidance and public feedback.

On Feb. 24, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress approved the decision to "comprehensively forbid illegal wildlife trading, abolish consumption of wild animals, and guarantee the health and safety of the public" (hereinafter "the Decision") ^[1]. This document came into effect since the date of promulgation and the key points are listed below:

It is strictly prohibited to consume wildlife animals subject to hunting, trading, transporting and consuming ban in the "China Wild Animal Protection Law" and other regulations. Violators will be subject to more stringent punishment than that specified in current regulation.
It is forbidden to eat wild animals with significant ecological, scientific and social value and other non-protected wild animals. Regardless of whether they are raised in a farming setting or caught in the wild
Animals listed in the “Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Catalogue” can be consumed and are regulated by the "Animal Husbandry Law." These animals include staple foods such as pigs, cows, sheep/goats, chicken, duck, goose, etc. with an established safety profile or have long-term consumption histories like rabbit and pigeon.
The competent authority shall conduct inspection and quarantine on wildlife animals for non- food use (such as scientific research, officinal and exhibition)

The competent authority clarified during the press conference that the aquatic wildlife is exempted from the consumption ban.

Later, relevant departments had an immediate response to "the Decision." On Feb. 27, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration announced that it would cancel/abolish previously-issued licenses for wildlife rearing and business permit for wildlife consumption. Additionally, it will not accept any administrative applications for hunting, selling, purchasing, and importing wildlife for food purposes from Feb. 24 ^[2]. Six measures issued by MOARA on Feb. 28 include the development of “Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Catalogue” and the revision to "The Catalogue of Aquatic Wildlife Animal." Besides, it will strengthen the administrative approval and inspection & quarantine on wildlife animals, not for food purposes ^[3].

In general, the public is in favor of these measures, and Shanghai CPPCC members suggest that the government should issue a positive and negative list of edible animals. However, several legal experts stated that it is infeasible to conduct inspection & quarantine on wildlife animals even if they are used for research or medicine ^[4]. Experts have called for a complete ban on any artificial breeding for commercial purposes due to risks of zoonotic diseases.

The release of “the Decision” has come in the wake of the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2. The current “Wild Animal Protection Law” stipulates the consumption ban on wildlife species under state protection but fails to regulate non-protected wildlife. For the next step, the competent authority will amend “Wild Animal Protection Law” and “Law on Animal Epidemic Prevention," which have already been listed into the 2020 legislation program.