On January 25, 2019, CBCGDF received a notice of acceptance of the administrative reconsideration application from the General Administration of Customs and CBCGDF was informed that special personnel would be appointed to hear the case.

As a national first-class society and a leading NGO dedicated to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, since 2017, CBCGDF has applied to the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region twice for The Guangxi Terrestrial Wildlife Rescue and Epidemic Disease Detection Center (hereinafter referred to as "Rescue Center") which is under the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for the information on the rescue of the endangered species pangolins in the last five years.

The Rescue Center is the only institution in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region that rescue pangolins. However, the time spanned to 2019, and the Department of Forestry of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has never disclosed information about the rescue of pangolins during these five years.

Therefore, after the Nanning Customs of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held a press conference on December 19, 2018, CBCGDF learned that since 2016, Nanning Customs has investigated 83 cases of endangered animal and plant smuggling in a series of operations. With 707.78 kg ivory and 2578 pangolins were seized. CBCGDF took great care and immediately applied to the Nanning Customs of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to disclose relevant information.

To this end, CBCGDF applied to Nanning Customs for the information disclosure of the 2578 pangolins’ species, source, survival condition, as well as the processing of their destinations (been transferred to the forestry departments, rescue centers, or other rescuing ways). But on January 7, 2019, CBCGDF received a reply from Nanning Customs. It mentioned that the relevant information applied by CBCGDF is subject to the contents of the “Regulation of the People's Republic of China on the Disclosure of Government Information” and the “Measures of the People's Republic of China for the Disclosure of Customs Government Information”, and they have decided not to disclose it.

In this regard, on January 16, 2019, CBCGDF filed an Administrative Reconsideration with the General Administration of Customs of People’s Republic of China in accordance with the relevant provisions of the “Regulation of the People's Republic of China on the Disclosure of Government Information”. Nine days later, CBCGDF received a notice of acceptance of the administrative reconsideration application from the General Administration of Customs.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/7491.html

By / Niu Jingmei