HONG KONG — China has halted a directive that partially legalized the domestic trade in farmed rhinoceros and tiger parts, two weeks after the move drew a torrent of criticism from conservation groups.
A senior official in China’s cabinet said in a state media interview published Monday that implementation of an October directive reviving the market for the endangered animal parts has been “postponed after study.”
The official, Ding Xuedong, did not specify how long the delay would last. But the interview, which was published in English and Chinese by the official Xinhua News Agency, was cheered by international conservation advocates who saw it as an acknowledgement by Chinese leaders that they made a misstep.
“The Chinese government has long been dedicated to the cause of wildlife protection and has made achievements recognized by the world,” Xinhua quoted Ding, a top official in China’s State Council, as saying.
