Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on a Complete Ban of Illegal Wildlife Trade and the Elimination of the Unhealthy Habit of Indiscriminate Wild Animal Meat Consumption For the Protection of Human Life and Health

Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on a Complete Ban of Illegal Wildlife Trade and the Elimination of the Unhealthy Habit of Indiscriminate Wild Animal Meat Consumption For the Protection of Human Life and Health (Adopted at the 16th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People's Congress on February 24, 2020) For the purpose of prohibiting and punishing illegal wildlife trade, eliminating the unhealthy habit of indiscriminate wild animal meat consumption, ensuring biosafety and ecological security, preventing major public health hazards, protecting human life and health, and improving ecological conservation for greater harmony between man and nature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress hereby decides:

1. Hunting, trading, transporting wild animals or consuming the meat thereof as prohibited in the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife and other relevant laws shall be banned.

Acts in violation of the preceding paragraph shall be subject to severer penalties than those prescribed in existing laws.

2. Eating the meat of "terrestrial wild animals of significant ecological, scientific, or social value" protected by the State and other terrestrial wild animals, including those bred artificially or in captivity, shall be forbidden.

Hunting, trading or transporting for meat terrestrial wild animals that grow and reproduce naturally in the wild shall be banned.

Acts in violation of the preceding two paragraphs shall be subject to penalties by reference to the relevant provisions of existing laws.

3. Animals on the List of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources are domesticated animals to which the Law of the People's Republic of China on Animal Husbandry shall apply.

The animal husbandry and veterinary administration department of the State Council shall develop and release the List of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources in accordance with the law.

4. Where non-food use of wild animals is required for research, medicinal use, exhibition, or any other special purpose, such use shall be subject to strict review and approval along with quarantine and inspection in accordance with relevant State regulations.

The State Council and its relevant departments shall formulate or improve, in a timely manner, regulations for the review and approval and the quarantine and inspection of non-food use of wild animals, and strictly implement them.

5. People's governments at all levels, people's organizations, social organizations, schools, news media and all other sectors of society shall carry out public awareness and advocacy campaigns on environmental protection, ecological conservation and public health security. All members of society must work to improve their awareness of ecological conservation and public health security, break away from the undesirable habit of indiscriminate wildlife consumption, and develop a healthy and civic lifestyle.

6. In order to investigate and punish acts which are in violation of this Decision or relevant laws or regulations, people's governments at all levels and their relevant departments shall have in place sound and effective systems for enforcement, designate enforcement bodies with clearly defined responsibilities, and strengthen coordination, supervision, inspection and accountability. Illegal business premises and operations shall be shut down, sealed off or ordered to close in accordance with the law.

7. The State Council and its relevant departments, and all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government shall formulate or revise the relevant lists and supportive regulations according to this Decision and the relevant laws.

The State Council and local people's governments shall take necessary measures to ensure that this Decision is implemented. Relevant local people's governments shall provide support and guidance to affected farmers to help them change their production and business activities, and provide them with compensation accordingly.

8. This Decision shall enter into force as of the date of promulgation.