COVID-19 is Changing the China-Africa Wildlife Trade

The China Africa Project

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on the China-Africa wildlife trade. In response to the outbreak that was first detected at a wet market that sold live animals in Wuhan, the Chinese government has introduced a number of new laws that will significantly restrict the trade in live and endangered animals. In February, the National People's Congress unveiled new updates to the country's Wildlife Protection Law that will outlaw the sale of certain live animals and bans the consumption of bushmeat. Two months later, the government took action to limit the trade and sale of pangolins by removing pangolin scales from the list of official ingredients approved for use in traditional Chinese medicine and upgraded the endangered animal to class 1 protected status, the highest level of legal protection available. Linda Chou closely follows these regulatory changes as a Beijing-based policy advisor for the international wildlife conservation group TRAFFIC. Linda joins Eric & Cobus this week to discuss the future of the China-Africa wildlife trade and how all of these new Chinese laws will impact illicit animal trafficking. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject Twitter: @eolander | @stadenesque | @TRAFFIC_WLTrade SUPPORT THIS PODCAST. BECOME A SUBSCRIBER TO THE CHINA AFRICA PROJECT. Your subscription supports independent journalism. Subscribers get the following: 1. A daily email newsletter of the top China-Africa news. 2. Access to the China-Africa Experts Network 3. Unlimited access to the CAP's exclusive analysis content on chinaafricaproject.com Subscribe today and get two-weeks free: www.chinaafricaproject.com/subscribe