China is committed to wildlife conservation

China's ambassador to Kenya Dr Liu Xinfa (left) with KWS Director William Kiprono during the presentation of anti-poaching equipment at the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi on August 15 2014. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION

What you need to know:

  • Last January, China destroyed 6.1 tonnes of confiscated ivory products, in effect demonstrating its consistent position to firmly combat illicit wildlife trade.
  • Wildlife crimes are a cross-border menace. To combat them calls for international joint efforts where all stakeholders share the common responsibilities and objectives.
  • Early this year, through the joint efforts of China and Kenya, two Chinese ivory trafficking suspects were arrested in Kenya and repatriated to China. They will be sent for trial.

Three months ago, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited the Ivory Burning Site Monument in Nairobi National Park, together with President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto.

During that visit, Premier Li said: “The Chinese people love nature as well as peace. The Chinese side highly appreciates and respects the hard efforts and significant achievements in wildlife conservation made by the Kenya government and people. China is strongly committed to protecting wildlife, and will spare no effort in combating poaching and ivory smuggling.”

This is another strong commitment to Kenya, to Africa and to the world. A number of policies have been adopted to promote ecological progress and incorporate it into the whole process of advancing economic, political, cultural, and social progress.

STRICT COMPLIANCE

A full range of rules and regulations was put in place, with the Law on Protection of Wildlife being the centrepiece. To enforce strict compliance, offenders are liable to life imprisonment.

In 2013, Chinese forestry and public security organs cracked down on more than 60 cases involving 100 offenders. In the process, over 1,000 kilogrammes of ivory were confiscated.

Last January, China destroyed 6.1 tonnes of confiscated ivory products, in effect demonstrating its consistent position to firmly combat illicit wildlife trade.

ROBUST CONTROLS

Our robust controls have sent a powerful message to poachers, traffickers and illegal users of wildlife products that the Chinese government is totally against wildlife destruction.

In January, my embassy and State Forestry Administration of China held a workshop on wildlife protection in Nairobi to educate the Chinese community against poaching and illegal trade of wildlife.

Several weeks ago, a group of young students from Tsinghua University of China, initiated a volunteer activity here to advocate wildlife conservation and promote interaction in this regard with their counterparts at the University of Nairobi. These actions will, without doubt, increase in days to come.

CROSS-BORDER MENACE

Wildlife crimes are a cross-border menace. To combat them calls for international joint efforts where all stakeholders share the common responsibilities and objectives.

China has actively participated in the relevant international cooperation and will continue to do so. We became a contracting party to the “Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites)” in 1981.

Representatives from the Chinese government attended the African Elephant Summit in Gaborone, Botswana, last December and the London International Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade last February.

Early this year, through the joint efforts of China and Kenya, two Chinese ivory trafficking suspects were arrested in Kenya and repatriated to China. They will be sent for trial.

ECOLOGICAL COOPERATION

China has provided assistance in wildlife protection to several African countries. During Chinese Premier Li’s visit to Africa, he emphasized at the Africa Union headquarters that ecological cooperation was one of the six key areas of the future China-Africa cooperation.

He also announced that China will provide Africa with $10 million in the next few years for wildlife conservation and establish a China-Africa Joint Research Centre in Nairobi to serve this purpose.

Indeed, the Governments of China and Kenya signed an agreement on China’s grants to wildlife conservation during Premier Li’s stay in Kenya.

Today’s donation will demonstrate our strong commitment and unwavering action with regard to conservation.

Dr Liu is the Chinese ambassador to Kenya. This is an extract from a speech he delivered during the handover to Kenya of anti-poaching equipment.