China has made a contentious move that is causing global concern. Ending a 25-year-old ban, it has legalized the scientific and medical use of tiger bones and rhinoceros horn, components long used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This unexpected development could have a severe impact, conservationists warn, particularly on already endangered species.
The Role of Tiger Parts and Rhino Horns in TCM
Components derived from both tigers and rhinos have played roles in TCM for hundreds of years. They are believed to treat ailments such as insomnia and gout. In 1993, China initiated a ban on the trade of tiger parts which resulted in their removal from the official TCM pharmacopoeia maintained by the country’s health ministry. The World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, an international non-profit organization based in Beijing, urged its members to stop using tiger parts or parts from other endangered wildlife in 2010.
China’s Green Efforts and Traditional Chinese Medicine Diplomacy
Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has sought to establish itself as an eco-friendly nation. The government has passed stricter laws to protect wildlife and natural resources. One major step, taken in 2016, was the banning of the sale of ivory, a material traditionally believed to be a panacea in TCM. However, these environmental strides have sometimes clashed with efforts to promote TCM globally, part of a larger strategy to expand China’s soft power. Additionally, the rising living standards in China have increased demand for animal parts, believed to possess life-prolonging abilities. For instance, the popularity of ejiao, a gelatin product made from animal hides marketed as “blood-enriching”, has led to concerns about the number of donkeys, primarily from Africa, being slaughtered each year to meet China’s demand.
| Important Facts |
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| In 1993, China banned the trade of tiger parts. |
| In 2010, The World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies urged its members to stop using endangered wildlife parts. |
| In 2016, China banned the sale of ivory. |
| Ejiao, a product made from animal hides, is causing concerns about donkey slaughters. |
Concerns in India and Responses from International Organizations
The revocation of China’s ban has raised concerns in Assam, India, known for its population of one-horned rhinos. Conservationists fear increased poaching following the reinstatement of the trade in rhino horns and tiger bones. In 2018, five rhinos in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park succumbed to poachers. It is believed that the lifting of the ban might encourage traffickers, who could potentially launder poached rhino horns as legal products in China. Numerous studies indicate that rhino horns poached in Assam often end up in China via Myanmar, leading the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2017 to label Myanmar’s Shan state as a notorious hub for wildlife trafficking. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an active international non-governmental organization working on wildlife conservation, has urged China to maintain the ban, warning of devastating global consequences.
About Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
CITES is an international agreement among governments aimed at ensuring that global trade does not threaten the survival of wild animals and plants. Drafted in 1963 out of an IUCN resolution, CITES mandates behaviors for its signatories but does not replace national laws. Instead, it provides a framework each party should respect and incorporate into their domestic legislation. CITES classifies species in three appendices based on their need for protection. It strictly controls and in some cases prohibits the trade of species threatened with extinction or those that could become threatened due to trading activities.
