Stop wildlife consumption

Decisions of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress relating to a total
prohibition on illegal wildlife trade, eliminating the bad habit of excessive eating of
wildlife, and effectively safeguarding the lives and health of the public
(Passed by the 16th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s
Congress on 24 February 2020)
In order to fully prohibit and punish illegal trade in wildlife, eliminate the bad habit of
excessive eating of wildlife, support biosafety and the safety of ecosystems, effectively
guard against major public health risks, safeguard the lives and health of the public,
strengthen the establishment of ecocivilisation, and encourage harmony between
humans and nature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress made the
following decisions:
1) All hunting, trade, transport and eating of wildlife that is prohibited by the Wildlife
Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China and other relevant laws must be
strictly prohibited.
Any behaviour that is in contravention of the paragraph above shall be punished
more severely, building upon the provisions in the current law.
2) All consumption of “terrestrial wildlife of important ecological, scientific or social
value” and other terrestrial wildlife as food, including captive bred terrestrial
wildlife, shall be totally prohibited.
All hunting, trading or transporting terrestrial wildlife that has naturally bred in the
wild for the purposes of consumption as food shall be prohibited.
Any behaviour that is in contravention of the previous two paragraphs shall be
punished in accordance with penalties stipulated by relevant regulations in
applicable existing laws.
3) Animals that are added to the catalogue of livestock and poultry genetic resources
shall be regarded as livestock and poultry, and the regulations of the Animal
Husbandry Law of the People’s Republic of China shall be applicable.
The department responsible for administration of livestock husbandry and
veterinary medicine under the State Council shall draw up and publish the
catalogue of livestock and poultry genetic resources in accordance with the law.
4) Where there is a need to utilise wildlife for special purposes other than
consumption as food, such as scientific research, medicine or display, this shall be