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Proposal lays out responsibilities of local govts and protection agencies

Highlighting the importance of curbing the presence of invasive species, a recent draft amendment to the Wildlife Protection Law states that wild animal species introduced from overseas must not be illegally released or abandoned.

The draft revision was submitted to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, on Tuesday for a third review.

The draft states that departments responsible for wildlife protection from the county level upward should act to control invasive species found to be causing harm to local ecosystems.

It also requires the State Council, China's Cabinet, to strengthen regulations on releasing animals into the wild.

Referring to a case involving the presence of wild boars that were damaging farms, the draft revision permits wildlife protection agencies from the county level upward to take measures including ex-situ conservation or even hunting, if they discover the population of wild animals such as wild boars in a region exceeds environmental capacity.

It states that the measures should be taken based on investigation, monitoring and evaluation of animals and their habitats, adding that more detailed rules on what steps to take will be provided by the State Council.

Local governments are ordered to erect warning signs or barriers to mitigate potential danger or destruction by wild animals.

"The amendment to the law is in order to implement the requirements of pursuing green development and promoting harmony between humanity and nature contained in the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China," Li Fei, an official from the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, said while explaining the draft revision to legislators on Tuesday.

Li said that before it was reviewed by lawmakers, the draft had been read and assessed by representatives from various walks of life, including members of law enforcement, and staff at national parks, grassroots stations for collecting legislative opinions, nongovernment organizations and aquaculture enterprises.

"We generally agree with the draft amendment, as it is practical, it meets the national goal of enhancing ecological civilization, and its main content is in line with the actual situation around the country," he said, adding that to facilitate the protection of wildlife, "we've suggested that the top legislature pass the law after additional improvement."

In general, a draft becomes law after it is reviewed by the top legislative body three times.

On Tuesday, several other legal proposals were submitted to the session of the NPC Standing Committee for further review, including a draft amendment to the Legislation Law, a draft reservists law and a draft revision to the Counterespionage Law.