China's top legislature is set to enforce inspections of wildlife
trading and protection due to the possible transmission of the
severe acute respiratory syndrome (
SARS)
virus from wild animals to humans.
"The illegal selling of wild animals not only stimulates unhealthy
demand, but also results in poaching and animal smuggling," said Ma
Fu, deputy director of the State Forestry Administration.
The inspection task force will be composed of members from the
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People's
Congress (NPC)
and the Environment and Resources Protection Committee of the
NPC.
In
early July, the team will make inspections in Beijing and in south
China's Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,
focusing on poaching, illegal selling of wild animals or their
products, and various animal-selling markets.
The NPC Standing Committee, China's top legislature, has decided to
place an amendment to the law on the protection of wild animals to
its 2003 legislative agenda. In this sense, the inspection team
will solicit opinions on the existing law which was passed in
1988.
(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2003)