[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
[November 8, 1993]
[Pages 1931-1932]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Congress on Rhinoceros and Tiger Trade by China and 
Taiwan
November 8, 1993

To the Congress of the United States:

    On September 7, 1993, the Secretary of the Interior certified that 
the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan are engaging in trade of 
rhinoceros and tiger parts and products that diminishes the 
effectiveness of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Five rhinoceros species and the 
tiger are listed in Appendix I of CITES, which means that the species 
are threatened with extinction and no trade for primarily commercial 
purposes is allowed. Although recent actions by the PRC and Taiwan show 
that some progress has been made in addressing their rhinoceros and 
tiger trade, the record demonstrates that they still fall short of the 
international conservation standards of CITES. This letter constitutes 
my report to the Congress pursuant to section 8(b) of the Fisherman's 
Protective Act of 1967, as amended (Pelly Amendment) (22 U.S.C. 
1978(b)).

    The population of the world's rhinoceros has declined 90 percent 
within the last 23 years to the present level of less than 10,000 
animals, and the tiger population has declined 95 percent within this 
century to the present level of about 5,000. Neither the PRC nor Taiwan 
has fully implemented the international standards established by CITES 
for controlling the trade in these species, and the poaching of 
rhinoceroses and tigers continues in their native ranges fueled in part 
by the market demand in the PRC and Taiwan. These populations will 
likely be extinct in the next 2 to 5 years if the trade in their parts 
and products is not eliminated.

    To protect the rhinoceros and tiger from ex-


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tinction, all countries and entities that currently consume their parts 
and products must implement adequate legislative measures and provide 
for enforcement that effectively eliminates the trade, including taking 
actions to comply with the criteria set down by CITES in September 1993 
and fully cooperating with all CITES delegations. The PRC and Taiwan 
have made good faith efforts to stop the trade in rhinoceros and tiger 
parts and products, and have, since the announcement of Pelly 
certification, undertaken some positive legislative and administrative 
steps in this regard. These efforts, however, have yet to yield 
effective reductions in trade.

    I wish to support and build on these good faith efforts undertaken 
by the PRC and Taiwan. At the same time, I would like to make clear the 
U.S. position that only effective reductions in the destructive trade in 
these species will prevent the rhinoceros and tiger from becoming 
extinct. Accordingly, I have established an Interagency Task Force to 
coordinate the provision of U.S. technical assistance to the PRC and 
Taiwan to help them eliminate their illegal wildlife trade. I have also 
instructed the Department of the Interior, in coordination with the 
Department of State and the American Institute in Taiwan, to enter 
immediately into dialogue with the PRC and Taiwan regarding specific 
U.S. offers of trade and law enforcement assistance.

    Actions by the PRC and Taiwan that would demonstrate their 
commitment to the elimination of trade in rhinoceros and tiger parts and 
products could include: at a minimum, consolidation and control of 
stockpiles; formation of a permanent wildlife or conservation law 
enforcement unit with specialized training; development and 
implementation of a comprehensive law enforcement and education action 
plan; increased enforcement penalties; prompt termination of amnesty 
periods for illegal holding and commercialization; and establishment of 
regional law enforcement arrangements. I would expect that in taking 
these actions, the PRC and Taiwan would take account of the 
recommendations by the CITES Standing Committee and other CITES 
subsidiary bodies. In that regard, I am pleased to announce that the 
United States will participate in a delegation to the PRC and Taiwan 
organized by CITES to evaluate their progress between now and the March 
1994 CITES Standing Committee meeting.

    At its last meeting, the CITES Standing Committee unanimously 
recommended that parties consider implementing ``stricter domestic 
measures up to and including prohibition in trade in wildlife species 
now'' against the PRC and Taiwan for their trade in rhinoceros and tiger 
parts and products. The United States is prepared, through close 
dialogue and technical aid, to assist the PRC and Taiwan. I hope that 
both will demonstrate measurable, verifiable, and substantial progress 
by March 1994. Otherwise, import prohibitions will be necessary, as 
recommended by the CITES Standing Committee.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,
November 8, 1993.