Citation Detail: LI Yiming and LI Dianmo. 1996. The Investigation on Wildlife Trade Across Guangxi Borders Between China and Vietnam. in: Conserving China's Biodiversity (John MacKinnon, WANG Sung and etc.eds.). China Environmental Science Press. Beijing. 118-127p.

The Investigation on Wildlife Trade
Across Guangxi Borders Between
China and Vietnam

LI Yiming and LI Dianmo
(Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100080)

★[Introduction]★[Study Areas And Methods]★[Results]★[Discussion]★[Recommendation]

The authors investigated the live wildlife trade across Guangxi borders between China and Vietnam in December 4-30, 1993, and June 24-July 28, 1994, supported by The Biodiversity Working Group of China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development. The live wildlife trade through the borders of two countries started since 1989. Our survey indicated that numbers of species involved in the live wildlife trade through Guangxi were many and the volume of the trade was great. Some species listed on Appendix of CITES and Category of ASSP were involved in the live wildlife trade. A network of live wildlife trade, covering some provinces of China, some countries of southeast Asia and Hong Kong and Macao, has been formed. It is suggested that the live wildlife trade will impact the environment and wildlife resources of China and southeast Asia countries.　

1. Introduction　

The wildlife protection cause in China has developed rather quickly in the last 45 years. There was not any form of protected natural areas and wildlife protection law before 1950. Now, there are 1,185 protected areas and national parks with total area of 645,666.5 km² occupying 6.44 % of China (Wang Xianpu, 1993). China became a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1981. Since then, species listed on Appendices of CITES have been given a proper protection. The most important step for wildlife conservation in China is the 1989 Wildlife Protection Law, which has schedules of protected species known as “Animals under State's Special Protection” (ASSP). The ASSP includes schedules of endangered, rare and valuable species as determined for China. According to the law, without government permission, any activity of killing, selling, or exporting species listed on the ASSP schedules will be prosecuted, and anyone who hunts wildlife must hold the hunt license issued by the government.

One of main threats to wildlife protection in China at present is the live wildlife trade across the borders between China and Vietnam. The trade began to pick up in 1989 after the war between China and Vietnam subsided and it has developed quickly. Now, many local markets and restaurants in some provinces of China are selling the wildlife and its products from Vietnam.

We have little direct information about the live wildlife trade in this area. To understand the status of the live wildlife trade across the borders of the two countries, the Biodiversity Working Group of Chinese Council for International Cooperation in Environment and Development (BWG of CCICED) initiated and supported a study focusing on trade in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region between China and Vietnam. Our objectives are: (I) to determine species richness involved in the live wildlife trade; (II) to monitor the volumes of the live wildlife trade; and (III) to investigate the route and countries of the live wildlife trade.

2. Study Areas And Methods

2.1 Study areas
The study was carried out on border regions in Guangxi and adjacent areas in Vietnam. Guangxi lies in south China, situated between 20° 4'-26° 3' S and 104° 8'-112° 4' N. It is adjoined in the east by Guangdong Province, in the north by Hunan Province and Guizhou Province, and in the west by Yunnan Province (Figure 1). In the southeast lies the Beibuwan (sea). It borders Vietnam in the southwest. Six counties and one city in Guangxi are adjoined by Vietnam (Figure 2 ). They are Fangcheng, Ningming, Longzhou, Daxin, Jingxi, and Nape counties, and Pingxiang City. The boundary line bordering Vietnam is about 600 km long. Guangxi and Yunnan Provinces in China are both bordered by Vietnam. However, Guangxi has developed transportation facilities linking it to Vietnam and the boundary trade between Guangxi and Vietnam is therefore flourishing. The live wildlife trade between Guangxi and Vietnam is likely to be representative of much of the trade occurring throughout the borders of the representative countries. Since the border trade in Fangcheng County, Pingxiang City and Longzhou County appeared to be very active, the following sites were selected for investigation: (1) China: Dongxing Town and Port in Fangcheng County, Longyao Town and Port in Pingxiang City, Shuikou Town and Port in Longzhou County; (2) Vietnam: Mangjie Town (opposite to Dongxing Town) and Fuhe village (12 km from Shuikou Town) (Figure 2).　

2.2 Study methods　

2.2.1 Species richness
The investigation was conducted in December 4-30, 1993 and June 24-July 28, 1994. The wildlife markets of Dongxing, the urban district of Pingxiang and Longzhou County were visited by one of authors (Li Yiming) and a local resident who could speak Guangdongese. Mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians sold in wildlife markets were identified. By posing as a trader, Li Yiming expressed interested in buying the wildlife. Most of wildlife on stands in the markets were on view, but some were hidden in sacks. We asked the dealers to show wildlife in the sacks. We also inquired with the dealers about the source and prices of their wildlife. Li Yiming counted the number of each species in the wildlife market and noted the investigated information. In most cases, we took pictures of wildlife at a distance because some dealers were very careful not to be photographed. In each wildlife market, one day was spent on the survey.
By visiting the wildlife purchase stations at Dongxing, Longyao and Shuikou, we identified the wildlife from Vietnam. We also recorded the time in the day that wildlife from Vietnam was transported into China through the ports.　

2.2.2 The volumes of the live wildlife trade　

In 1994, the study was carried out on June 29 at the Longyao port, June 30 at the Shuikou port, and July 27 at the Dongxing port. At each port, the volume of the wildlife trade from Vietnam to China through the port was counted, by spending one day, and estimating total weight and number of species traded.　

2.2.3. Route and countries of the live wildlife trade
In December 4-30, 1993, one of authors (Li Yiming) and the local resident worked through Dongxing, Longyao and Shuikou, looking for the wildlife purchase stations. Li Yiming noted the shop code of the wildlife purchase stations and their locations. We asked the bosses of the wildlife purchase stations and wildlife traders the source and destination of their wildlife. In all cases, they gave answers.

To confirm what bosses and traders had said, Li Yiming and the local resident went to Mangjie (on December 16, 1993) and Fuhe village (on December 24, 1993) in Vietnam, looking for wildlife purchase stations. One of us (the resident) talked with the bosses of the wildlife purchase stations who could speak in Guangdongese or Zhuangese. The conversation revealed the route and involved countries of the live wildlife trade. In June 24-July 28, 1994, Li Yiming and a resident used the same approach again to investigate the wildlife purchase stations at Dongxing, Longyao and Shuikou.

3. Results

3.1 Species richness
Our research showed that there were 43 species involved in live wildlife trade across Guangxi borders between China and Vietnam, including 13 species of mammals, 7 species of birds, 22 species of reptiles, and 1 species of amphibians (Table 1). Of the 43 species, 18 species were the ASSP. Four species were listed on Category I of the ASSP (Nycticebus coucang, Trachypithecus francoisi, Python molurus and Varanus salvator). Another 14 species were listed on Category II of the ASSP. Seventeen are species listed on CITES Appendix II and 3 species on CITES Appendix I.

Dongxing had a wildlife market, and so did the urban district of Pingxiang and Longzhou County. Of the wildlife that passes through the borders and the local ports, only small amounts are sold in these local wildlife markets. Most of wildlife trade would be transported to other places in China. However, most species were found in these local wildlife markets. Unfortunately, we could only identify a portion of the total number of species that were being transported through the ports because the wildlife imported to China was often packed.　

A wildlife market is composed of many stands. A wildlife stand has several plastic basins, iron cages, sacks and a dealer who sells the wildlife. The plastic basins are filled with tortoises and soft-shelled turtles. A plastic basin can contain several-tens tortoises or soft-shelled turtles. The iron cages may contain snakes, mammals, tortoises or Varanas salvator. The sacks usually contain mammals or Varanus salvator.　

There were 36 species from Vietnam to China through the Longyao Port (Table 1). Most of them were found in the wildlife market in the urban district of Pingxiang. Trachypithecus francoisi, Macaca fascicularis, Lepidochelys olivacea and Python molurus were only seen at the wildlife purchase stations at Longyao .　

Thirteen species were carried to China from Vietnam through the Dongxing Port (Table 1). This figure was smaller than actual because the wildlife market at Dongxing was small and wildlife was packed tightly when going through the port. Most species were not sold in the Dongxing wildlife market and were transported to other places.　

There were seven species imported to China from Vietnam through the Shuikou Port (Table 1). Most of these were found at the wildlife purchase stations. There were only a few species seen in the wildlife market in Longzhou County because the Longzhou County Government has taken many tight steps to prohibit selling the ASSP listed species and other rare animals in the wildlife market. In all investigations, Viverra zibetha and Viverricula indica were the only mammals found at the wildlife purchase stations in Shuikou in December 25 1993.　

According to the investigation on December 4-30, 1993, the prices of wildlife in the wildlife market of Pingxiang ranged from 16-180 yuan per kg (Table 1), which reached about 1-10 times the prices of beef and pork in the local markets in the border places of Guangxi. The prices of same species at different wildlife markets were close to each other.　

The entrance time of wildlife from Vietnam to China through the ports was at forenoon each day. According to the investigation in June 24-July 28, 1994, in summer, the entrance time of wildlife from Vietnam to China through the Longyao Port at 7-9.30 a.m.; through the Shuikou Port at 8-10 a. m. and through the Dongxing at 9-11 a.m.　

The entrance time in winter was different from that in summer. According to the investigation in December 4-30, 1993; in winter, the normal entrance time through the Longyao Port was at 8-10.30 a.m.; through the Shuikou Port at 9-11 a m., and through the Dongxing Port at 9.30-11.30 a.m.　

3.2 The volumes of the live wildlife trade
The wildlife imported to China was packed tightly. The packing containers are the lath wood cases, iron cages, fiber sacks or gunnysacks. A typical gunnysack may contain 60kg tortoises and soft-shelled turtle. A typical fiber sack may six pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) or 40kg tortoises and soft-shelled turtle. A typical lath wood case may pack 100kg tortoises and soft-shelled turtles, or contain 15-20 individuals (about 100kg) of Varanus salvator, or contain 15-20 pangolins. The iron cages normally pack mammals or snacks, and one iron cage may contain one to several mammals or tens of snakes.　

The volume of wildlife imported to China through the Longyao Port was largest of the three ports investigated. Based on the monitoring on July 29,1994, 14.904 tons were imported to China through the Longyao Port (Table 2 ), including 12.45 tons of tortoises, 600kg Triohyx sinensis, 37 monkeys, (among which there were 34 heads of Macaca fascicularis, 2 heads of Macaca nemestrina and one head of Trachypithecus francoisi), and 78 pangolins. One trader told us that the volume of wildlife imported to China through the Longyao Port that day was below average.

A great quantity of wildlife entered China through the Dongxing Port. According to the monitoring in July 27, 1994, there were 14.19 tons of wildlife imported to China through the Dongxing Port (Table 2), including 1,710-2,280 snakes, 630-840 individuals of Varanus salvator, 5.88 tons of tortoises and soft-shelled-turtles, and 600-800 pangolins. There were other sacks packed tightly and the wildlife contained in these sacks did not be seen clearly.

A much smaller amount of wildlife were imported to China through the Shuikou Port. There were 231kg wildlife entered to China through this port, based on the investigation on 30, June, 1994.　

3.3 Routes and countries of the wildlife trade
The wildlife imported to China through the Longyao port came from Tongdeng, Vietnam. According to the traders in the wildlife purchase stations at the Longyao and the dealers in the wildlife markets in the urban district of Pingxiang, the Vietnamese traders transported the wildlife from Thailand, Vietnam, Kampuchea, Laos and Burma to Hanoi City and Tongdeng in Vietnam by air or automobile. They also transported the wildlife from Hanoi City to Tongdeng. The Chinese traders went to the wildlife purchase stations at Tongdeng to order goods, drafting a oral agreement on species, volume, price, the time of picking up goods with Vietnamese traders, and paying deposit in advance. The Vietnamese traders, according to the agreement, transported the wildlife through the Longyao port to the wildlife purchase stations at Longyao, China. After examining the goods and clearing away the dead animals in goods, the Chinese traders paid off the rest of the money for the Vietnamese traders.　

There were four wildlife purchase stations at Longyao. The investigation on December 23, 1993 found that two wildlife purchase stations (shop codes: 330 and 332) purchased tortoises and soft-shelled turtles, pangolins, monkeys and snakes. When Li Yiming and the resident visited the town again on 29 June 1994, the shop codes had been changed, the former shops of 330 and shop 332 were changed into shop 316 and shop 318. This survey found other two wildlife purchase stations (shops 207 and 241). Shop 241 purchased monkeys; whereas shop 207 mainly purchased Varanus salvator. Shop 316 purchased tortoises, soft-shelled turtles and snakes; And shop 318 mainly purchased tortoises, soft-shelled turtles, and pangolins.

Two investigations both found that each wildlife purchase station was surrounded by 8-12 traders who were from Sichuan Province, Hebei Province, Shanghai, Guangxi and other places in China. Some of them were examining goods; others were taking delivery of goods, or ordering goods. A wildlife trader told us that the wildlife at the wildlife purchase stations would be transported to the urban district of Pingxiang by bus or automobile. Some of this was sold in the local wildlife market, but most would be transported to Ningming County and Nanning. There they were transported to other destinations (e.g., Sichuan Province, Hebei Province, Shanghai, other places in Guangxi) by air or other traffic tools.

On July 29, 1994, Li Yiming and the resident saw that the wildlife loaded by bus was transported from the wildlife purchase stations at Longyao to the urban district of Pingxiang. The wildlife imported to China through Dongxing port came from Mangjie in Vietnam. When Li Yiming visited Mangjie in December 16, 1993, he found a tricycle and a ship with wildlife that were being transported to the Dongxing port. A Vietnam trader at Mangjie told Li Yiming that the Vietnamese transported the wildlife from Hanoi City and other cities in Vietnam to Mangjie. Chinese traders went to Mangjie to order the wildlife goods. Then Vietnamese traders transported the wildlife through the Dongxing port to the wildlife purchase stations at Dongxing in China. Except for the wildlife sold in the local Dongxing wildlife market, most was mainly transported to the other places. A Chinese trader said that most wildlife imported to China through the Dongxing Port would be transported to Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao.

There were many wildlife traders staying in Dongxing . These traders who were principally from Guangdong Province, Hunan Province, Hubei Province, Shanghai, and other places in Guangxi were responsible for ordering goods and convey business for the wildlife.

The wildlife purchase stations in Dongxing were located on Jianshe road, and Dianxian Street also had a number of the wildlife purchase stations, according to the investigation on 26, July 1994.　

The wildlife imported to China through the Shuikou port were from Fuhe, Vietnam. Li Yiming and a local resident went to Fuhe to investigate the route of the wildlife trade in December 24, 1993. A Vietnamese trader in the wildlife purchase station in Fuhe told us that there had been several wildlife purchase stations in Fuhe in the past, but now only one existed. The wildlife from Laos, Thailand, Kampuchea, Vietnam, and Burma was transported to Hanoi City, then from Hanoi to Fuhe. The trader transported the wildlife to the wildlife purchase stations at Shuikou. The investigation on 25 December 1993 found that there were two wildlife purchase stations in Shuikou, and more than twenty individuals of Viverra zibetha, Viverricula indica and Prionailurus bengalensis were packed in sacks in the stations. When we again visited Shuikou on June 30, 1994, found only one station existed. A bus driver in Shuikou told us that he had transported the wildlife from the Shuikou to Nanning. Most of the wildlife in the stations would go to other places, and only small parts of the wildlife were sold in the local wildlife markets. In all three ports, we found that if the wildlife traders had the passport, they would be permitted to pass through the ports with their wildlife.

Figure 3. The routes of the live wildlife trade on Guangxi borders between Vietnam and China

The routes of the live wildlife trade may be summarized in Figure 3. According to the investigation, it may be inferred that the wildlife in Laos, Thailand, Kampuchea, Burma, and Vietnam is transported to border cities in Vietnam first. Then, the wildlife is taken through the ports of Vietnam and China to the wildlife purchase stations in the border areas of China. The wildlife of the wildlife purchase stations goes principally on four different trade routes in China. One is that small part of the wildlife will be sold in the wildlife markets in border cities of China. The second is that part of the wildlife will be carried to the wildlife markets of other places of Guangxi. For example, Nanning has large wildlife markets, in which most of the wildlife are from Vietnam. The third is that part of the wildlife will be transported to other provinces of China through Guangxi. The fourth is that the part of the wildlife will be carried to Guangdong Province. It is inferred that part of it will consumed in the local markets in Guangdong Province, but part of it will be traded to Hong Kong and Macao.

4. Discussion

　 4.1 The wildlife international trade between southeast Asia and China
The study results indicated that a colossal wildlife network which covered some provinces of China, Vietnam, other countries of southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macao has been formed during the last five years. The numbers of species involved in the live wildlife trade were so many and the volumes of the wildlife trade were so great across the Guangxi borders between China and Vietnam that the scale of this wildlife trade might be unprecedented in the history of the international trade in live wildlife. According to the investigation at the Longyao port in June 29 and at the Dongxing port in 27 July 1994, the volumes of the wildlife imported to China through the Longyao port and the Dongxing port were 14.904 tons and 14.19 tons respectively. Assuming that these volumes are the average levels per day through the ports and the price of the wildlife is 50 yuan (RMB) per kg (near average price), the value of the wildlife imported to China through the Longyao Port will be approximately 725,200 yuan (RMB) a day, or 265,000,000 yuan (RMB) a year and through the Dongxing Port reaches 709,500 yuan (RMB) a day, or 259,000,000 yuan (RMB) a year. There are more than ten other ports on Guangxi frontier bordering Vietnam. Therefore, the volumes of wildlife imported to China from Vietnam can be expected to be more than those through the three ports. From the estimation, we can see how great the scale of the live wildlife trade is.　

There are two main reasons responsible for the developed live wildlife trade across Guangxi borders between China and Vietnam. (I) China is a huge consumption market for wildlife. The demand for wildlife is tremendous. The traditional food and drink and traditional medicine have a long history. The wildlife is believed to be superior tonics for body health. After China’s government carried out the policy of reform and open door, the life level of people has increased quickly. More and more people can enjoy the wildlife goods. Since China became a party to CITES in 1981 and enforced the Wildlife Protection Law in 1989, the illicit killing activities have been prohibited, which resulted in the wildlife goods to be in deficient and the price of wildlife and its products to increase explosively. For example, the price of a live Paguma larvata in 1984 was about 40 yuan (RMB) a kg in markets, but in 1994, the price reached 80 yuan per kg in the markets, 100% of increase from the price of that ten years ago. Many traders have begun to import wildlife from the close countries. (II) Vietnam borders China, and the wildlife resources in Vietnam are rich. Since the communications between China and Vietnam is much developed, Vietnam has been become an export country of wildlife and a trade corridor of live wildlife from southeast Asia countries to China by illicit traders.

4.2 The potential threats of the live wildlife trade to environment and biodiversity of China and southeast Asia

First, the live wildlife trade between China and Vietnam is likely to increase the chances of the introduction of exotic species. The destination for wildlife is China and the wildlife traded is live animal. In the process of the live wildlife transportation to China, it is hard to avoid that some individuals flow to the natural habitats in China. Some exotics may destroy populations of native species and cause ecological crisis in China. Another problem of exotic species is that some of them may bring parasites and epidemics to the native species in China.

Second, the live wildlife trade through the borders between China and Vietnam may directly threaten populations of some species. Some species, such as Nycticebus coucang, Trachypithecus francoisi, Manis pentadactyla, and Varanus salvator distributed in the areas of the frontier between China and Vietnam, may be affected because of heavily killing on the Vietnam side.　

Third, some traders in China, who may use the live wildlife trade between China and Vietnam as an excuse, do an additional business of killing wildlife in China.　

Fourth, the live wildlife trade between China and Vietnam is the result of catching or killing wildlife resources. The large scale of killing activities for trade in southeast Asia may cause wildlife resource over-exploitation. This also impacts biodiversity and environment in southeast Asia.

5. Recommendation

It is badly needed for the governments of China and Vietnam to take effective steps to manage the trade in live wildlife across the borders. Cooperative activities of the two countries will improve management on the live wildlife trade. Cooperative action includes training officers in the ports to identify the live wildlife traded and carry out the laws tightly.　

Vietnam has issued the instruction which "prohibited the display or sale of ‘rare or endemic’ wildlife and restricted to a ‘minimum level’ the catch for export of animals to be used as food, such as snakes, tortoises crabs, frogs and other animals" in 1993 (TRAFFIC Southeast, 1993). And Vietnam became a party to CITES on 20 April 1994 (CITES Secretariat, 1994). This study shows that the illicit export of species listed on Appendix of CITES and "rare or endemic" animal was going on at this time. A great effort will be required to combat the illegal trade, including strict control of export of species listed on Appendix of CITES and enforcement at the instruction and CITES.　

China’s government feels anxious at the live wildlife trade through the borders of two countries, and has been making efforts to persuade the people not to sell, buy and eat the wildlife (species listed on Appendix of CITES and Categories of ASSP) imported from Vietnam. The local governments in the border districts in China have confiscated live wildlife from Vietnam in wildlife markets and ports many times. These happenings were widely reported in some newspapers. More effective measures include (1) the prohibition of import of species listed on Appendix of CITES and Category of ASSP unless the traders have the permit by the Vietnamese government, (2) the prohibition of import of live wildlife unless it have been tightly quarantined, (3) closure of the live wildlife trade routes, (3) promoting public awareness in the impact of illicit trade in live wildlife on the environment and wildlife resources.　

To manage the trade in live wildlife across the borders between two countries, a more intense survey of trade networks and the economics of the border trade in the wildlife and its parts is urgently needed. 　

Acknowledgments　

We would like to thank the Chinese Biodiversity Working Group of CCICED for their support of the project, and are most grateful to Prof. Wang Sung and Prof. Qian Yinqian for their help. We also would like to thank Professor Chris Wozencraft, he kindly edited the manuscript.

Reference　

CITES Secretariat, 1994. Vietnam and Kitts-Nevis accede to CITES.

TRAFFIC Bulletin. Vol.14. No.2. (1994).41.　

TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, 1993. Legislation file: Vietnam. TRAFFIC Bulletin Vol.14. No.1(1994).11.
Wang Xianpu, 1993. The achievements and future tasks of the protected area construction in China. Chinese Biodiversity. Vol.1. No 1:66-70. .

Table 1. The species of the live wildlife imported to China through three ports (see text )