China’s Legal Domestic Trade in Pangolins: A Global Threat to Conservation and U.S. Security
In recent years, China’s legal market for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) products containing pangolin scales has emerged as a significant driver of global pangolin poaching and illegal trafficking. Despite international efforts to curb the trade in pangolins, particularly through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), China’s ongoing legal market for pangolin-based medicine continues to fuel the demand for pangolins, placing immense pressure on these critically endangered species. The implications of this trade are far-reaching, affecting not only biodiversity but also contributing to organized crime and global environmental degradation. Moreover, the illicit trade in pangolins poses a serious threat to the United States' security interests, given China’s role in the global smuggling networks.
According to a new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), China remains a primary destination for both legal and illegal international trade in pangolins. The report analyzed 169 court judgments from 2014 to June 2024, revealing that pangolin trafficking is widespread across the country. Over 42.7 tonnes of pangolin scales and 5,465 whole pangolins were illegally traded within China. All eight recognized species of pangolins have been recorded in the illegal trade, with African species being seized more frequently and in higher volumes compared to their Asian counterparts. This illegal trade continues to contribute to the rapid decline of pangolin populations, as the species face an existential threat from poaching and the demand for their scales, meat, and other body parts used in traditional medicine.
China’s legal domestic market for pangolin-derived products remains a driving force behind the global poaching crisis. Despite China’s participation in international agreements such as CITES, which aims to protect endangered species from illegal trade, the legal status of pangolin use for TCM continues to fuel demand and facilitate the illegal supply chain. The EIA’s Erin Chong points out that the Chinese government’s own regulatory efforts have made little impact on stemming the tide of illicit pangolin trade, with legal TCM practices inadvertently supporting the illegal trafficking networks.
The trade in pangolins has significant implications not only for global conservation efforts but also for U.S. national security. The smuggling of pangolins, and the associated illegal trade, often involves transnational criminal organizations that exploit loopholes in international law. China’s role as both a destination and a facilitator of the global pangolin trade has implications for U.S. security. The EIA report highlights how pangolins are smuggled into China from countries like Nigeria, Vietnam, and others, with the trafficked goods often passing through numerous other countries before reaching their final destination. U.S. authorities have long been concerned about the infiltration of illegal networks that profit from wildlife trafficking and their potential ties to organized crime and even terrorism.
While pangolins may seem like a remote issue for American interests, the truth is that the trafficking networks that deal in pangolins are often part of larger, more dangerous international criminal syndicates. These syndicates are known to engage in various illegal activities, from human trafficking to drug smuggling and even arms trading. By contributing to these networks, China’s legal TCM market is indirectly supporting activities that destabilize regions and threaten U.S. allies and interests. Furthermore, China’s lack of transparency in managing its legal wildlife trade, including pangolins, raises serious concerns about the enforcement of environmental regulations and the potential for further exploitation of protected species.
Despite the clear connection between China’s domestic legal market for pangolins and the global illicit trade, there has been little meaningful change in Chinese policies to address the issue. In fact, as China continues to play a central role in the pangolin trade, the country’s authorities have shown little will to enforce stricter regulations. The EIA’s report emphasizes that although Chinese courts have convicted numerous individuals involved in the illegal pangolin trade, there remains a significant gap between the laws in place and their actual enforcement.
The Chinese government’s failure to adequately address this issue is especially concerning given the scale of the illegal trade and the significant involvement of Chinese pharmaceutical companies and individuals in the trafficking networks. As the demand for pangolin products remains high within China, the country’s legal market for pangolin-based medicine continues to facilitate the illegal smuggling of pangolins, undermining global conservation efforts.
The EIA’s findings underscore the need for immediate and decisive action from both the Chinese government and international stakeholders, particularly the United States. As one of the largest consumer markets for wildlife products, China’s legal trade in pangolins must be shut down to prevent further exploitation of these endangered species. The U.S. has a critical role to play in urging China to take meaningful steps to close its legal market for pangolin products, in line with CITES recommendations.
Furthermore, the U.S. must increase its efforts to monitor and disrupt the transnational wildlife trafficking networks that involve Chinese companies and individuals. Strengthening international cooperation, improving intelligence-sharing, and holding Chinese entities accountable for their involvement in illegal wildlife trade are crucial steps in addressing this issue. The U.S. government must also work to educate the public about the dangers of the illegal wildlife trade and the broader impacts of environmental degradation caused by the exploitation of species like pangolins.
The continued trade in pangolins, facilitated by China’s legal domestic market for TCM products, is a growing threat to both global biodiversity and U.S. security interests. The illegal trafficking of pangolins is not just an environmental issue; it is a matter of international stability, involving organized crime and transnational criminal syndicates that jeopardize the safety of American allies and regions. The U.S. must take a more proactive role in pushing for international action against wildlife trafficking and demand that China close its legal market for pangolin products. Failure to act will only allow the illegal trade to continue, pushing pangolins closer to extinction and enabling criminal networks to flourish.
