Notes from Hong Kong's English language newspaper, the South China Morning Post, on environment and land-use problems and opportunities relevant to South China.
Agriculture and Environment
China's State Oceanic Administration believes that few applications for development of China's uninhabited islands will be approved. The regulation's intent is to improve environmental protection of the approximately 5000 uninhabited islands and only develop a very few. (Mar. 12, 2004)
The Chinese central government plans to benefit its farmers by eliminating the 8 per cent tax on farm crops within five years, a tax that was established 4000 years ago during the Bronze Age. Annual farmer income averaged about US$300 in 2003 whereas urbanites made about three times that much. (Mar. 10, 2004)
China has about 6,000 offshore islands larger than 500 sq. m and only 6 percent are inhabited. China's new law now allows individuals and firms to lease the uninhabited islands for about US$12,000 to US$120,000 depending on the island's size. There is interest to use some islands for purposes of real estate, animal breeding, port development, explosive storage, and as free-trade zones. (July 16, 2003)
The recent SARS epidemic increased the people's concern for social and environmental issues. Grassroots environmental organizations are growing in numbers and are working to raise the public's ecological awareness and to monitor the government pledges to protect the environment. (June 5, 2003)
A Hong Kong teacher reported that over the past eight months sand beaches have been dredged secretly from three northeastern Hong Kong islands. Authorities believe that "sand bandits" from mainland China may be guilty of the illegal dredging, or that local villagers removed the sand to make concrete for construction. (May 20, 2003)
A landslide in Yunnan Province buried 67 people after heavy rains fell on a hilly, denuded area, which was once covered by moist tropical forest. ( Aug. 17, 2002)
At least 100 hill fires swept over Hong Kong's hills as thousands of grave-sweepers paid respect to their ancestors by burning paper items that blew away and spread grass fires. (Apr. 6, 2002)
Rapid siltation in the Pearl River Delta is adversely affecting deep-water accommodation for large container ships. The silt is carried into the delta from its tributaries that cut through watersheds of extensively denuded, hilly lands. Dec. 31, 2002)
Hong Kong expects a shortage of building stone by 2008. Quarries in Hong Kong and many others in nearby Guangdong will be exhausted by then. (Jan.14, 2002)
4000 farmers protested the income gap between the rural and urban population as well as corruption of local officials by blocking roads with sit-ins. The Communist Party recognizes these rural stresses and is concerned about maintaining social stability in the countryside. (Jan. 8, 2002)
The China Oceanography Bureau's new regulations are designed to protect the people on small, coastal islands from the adverse environmental effects caused by over development. Only 433 of China's 6000 islands are inhabited. (Aug. 30, 2001)
Brick making each year in China destroys excessive amounts of potentially arable lands. The Chinese government will start the process of banning brick production by 2003 in about 175 cities. They expect to replace bricks with new building materials. (July 17, 2001)
Discussions in Beijing regarding food supply, loss of arable land, and the next Five-Year Plan, highlight that China has lost 50,000 square km of its arable land from 1986 to 1995, an area about equal to the entire land area of Japan. A report from the China News Agency states that in 2000 alone, the arable land loss was about six million hectares. In China, per capita arable land now is about 0.1 ha, a figure only 47 per cent as large as the world average. (March 2, 2001)
Experts from the China Agricultural Science Institute, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and several top universities, have criticized Chinese farmers for using excessive amounts of commercial fertilizers and pesticides, and for discharging almost 1.7 billion tonnes of improperly treated animal wastes and farm waste water. China now consumes 35 per cent of worldwide production of commercial fertilizer and its use is causing soil damage and damage to surface waters and ground water. (Feb. 15, 2001)
Water
A 300 sq. km red tide is killing many fish in the Pearl River estuary near Hong Kong and may continue for several months. The red tide is believed to be caused by water pollution from industry, agriculture, and sewage. At least 1.2 million tonnes of pollutants entered the sea last year from the Pearl River alone. (May 6, 2003)
Drinking water piped into Hong Kong recently from the mid-part of the Dongjiang river, resulted in a 70 percent drop in the pollutant concentration in Hong Kong's drinking water. Authorities hope that ammonia levels drop further if cities along the river improve sewage treatment. (Feb. 13, 2003)
China has started construction of a power station on the Mekong River in Yunnan Province. The scale of the project is only exceeded in size by the Three-Gorges Dam power project. Countries down stream, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand, are concerned that China will ultimately control their water supplies. This power station is the first of eight planned for this part of the river. (Jan. 21, 2002)
Water quality has decreased so badly from uncontrolled pollution of the Pearl River and in smaller rivers in Guangdong Province that the provincial government is developing plans for implementing water rationing in 2002. The region of greatest pollution is in the Pearl River Delta where development has boomed in recent years. Untreated human sewage, agricultural and animal wastes, and industrial wastes are adversely affecting the water quality from Guangzhou to Hong Kong. (Aug. 7, 2001)
Forests
Mainland Chinese tree poachers are uprooting Buddhist pine (Podocarpus macrophylla) trees from islands in northeast Hong Kong for sale in mainland China. The organized smugglers transport the trees by speedboat to the mainland where the price per tree could reach US$6000. The tree is believed by some to have mystical properties. (Dec. 3, 2003)
Hong Kong's government plans to plant at least 10 million trees and shrubs this year. Many trees have been cut because land leases before the 1970s did not include tree-preservation clauses. Leases later than the 1970s prohibiting tree cutting have been poorly enforced. (Apr. 22, 2003)
Wildlife
Hong Kong government authorities uncovered 27 baby crocodiles being held by three wildlife smugglers. One belief is that the crocodiles were headed for sale as medicine or pets. (Feb. 28, 2004)
A University of Hong Kong marine scientist conducted a six-year study showing that fish communities associated with Hong Kong's coral areas have declined as much as 50 percent since 1996 from over fishing. His figures show that Hong Kong's coral areas have the second lowest fish populations of all other coral areas worldwide. (Jan. 19, 2004)
Because of the renewed concern for the spread of SARS, Guangzhou's mayor led a campaign to declare war on "four dangers", rats, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and flies. Culling of civet cats already has taken place. (Jan. 10, 2004)
Plans are being developed to construct a bridge in the Pearl River Delta to connect Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai. Hong Kong environmental experts are concerned that bridge construction may endanger the habitats of the Chinese white dolphin, horseshoe crabs, and the Romer tree frog as well as mangrove and sea-grass areas and cultural sites. An environmental study is to be completed before the bridge alignment is finalized. (Oct. 10, 2003)
" A test is underway and will continue until 2007 to introduce South China tiger cubs to 500 ha of land in South Africa. The goal is to allow the cubs to grow up in the wild and later to reintroduce them into South China. (Oct. 9, 2003)
China's State Forestry Administration reported that poaching and habitat destruction could lead to destruction of 20 per cent of China's plant and animal species. Currently, 300 vertebrate species and 410 plant species are at risk. (Oct. 7, 2003)
Hong Kong and Guangdong scientists produced new evidence showing that civet cats from Guangdong's wild animal markets were a key spreader of the SARS virus. One scientist emphasized the need for mainland authorities to reintroduce the recently lifted ban on wild animal trade. (Sept. 6, 2003)
A team of experts from the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization says that Chinese government's decision to lift the ban on trade in civet cats and other wild animals in premature. (Aug. 22, 2003)
Hong Kong Custom authorities seized 10,000 endangered tortoises however all but four were already dead. It is believed that the tortoises were intended for live sale in Guangdong Province. (July 11, 2003)
Hong Kong wild animal imports used mostly for food, reached 6 to 8 million in 2002. Of these, 710,000 were turtles, 150,000 lizards, and 59,000 snakes. Most of the rest of the animals were imported as pets. Some of the wild animals were re-exported into mainland China. (June 26, 2003)
Shenzhen's health chief said that exotic food animals should be raised scientifically. But, the secretary general of the China Wildlife Conservation Association said that eating wild animals should be abolished because it is not traditional and because it is a bad habit. In addition, the founder of the Animals Asia Foundation said that domesticating wild animals takes thousands of years. (June 19, 2003)
The Wildlife Protection Law (WPL) will be revised by the National People's Congress in the wake of the SARS outbreak. The WPL adopted 15 years ago needs urgent revision. China has seen a rapid decline in its wildlife population in recent years. (June 13, 2003)
China's ban on wildlife trading has been lifted; eating wildlife is still against the law. Twelve ministries and state administrations issued a report saying lawful trade in domesticated wildlife would be encouraged, guided, and supported. (July 12, 2003)
Guangzhou strengthened its effort to stop the sale and consumption of wild animals. Guangzhou authorities said that people caught eating endangered species could face heavy fines. In addition, restaurants and hotels selling wild animals will be fined. (June 4, 2003)
The Xinyuan wild-animal market in Guangzhou was closed fearing a link exists between the SARS virus and exotic food animals. About 800 animal traders live here along with their wild animals. Licenses for trading in wild animals were withdrawn by the government one week ago. (May 30, 2003)
Guangdong authorities' raids in the past two days netted 10,000 wild animals. Since the SARS virus surfaced five months ago in Guangdong, it is thought that removing wildlife from markets may help curb the spread of the SARS virus. (May 29, 2003)
The Hong Kong and Kowloon Snake Merchant's Association stated that Hong Kong's 70 snake shops might have to be closed if mainland China bans the snake trade to prevent the spread of the SARS virus. About 90 percent of live snakes in Hong Kong are imported. Other southeast Asian snake sources might be sought even though the Hong Kong people believe the snake quality there is not as good as mainland snakes. (May 29, 2003)
To control the spread of SARS, Guangdong's government banned the breeding, consumption, and trade in wild animals. The animals included civet cats, monkeys, snakes, bats, and other wild animals. Most wholesale animal markets were closed. (May 28, 2003)
Guangdong authorities banned wildlife trade because of suspicions that the SARS virus came from eating wild animals. Traveling animal shows were cancelled and restaurants were ordered to turn in any live animals. Wildlife markets were raided where pheasants, foxes, snakes, and birds were being sold. Other food animals suspected of carrying the SRAS virus include civet cats, monkeys, and bats. (May 28, 2003)
Forty-five Hong Kong conservation groups and a number of mainland NGOs are urging the government to ban the eating of wild animals. A concern exists that the SARS virus may have come from wild animals. The practice of stopping the use of such animals for food received strong support from the conservation groups. (May 23, 2003)
A Guangzhou restaurant is serving customers raw salamander (probably the Chinese giant salamander) to offset the ban on selling exotic wildlife particularly during the current SARS outbreak. The salamander is supposedly farm raised and thus can be sold. Snakes and crocodile meat also are served here. Wildlife trade in wholesale animal markets seems brisk. (May 7, 2003)
Certain Guangzhou markets commonly sell owls, civets, pangolins, golden monkeys, snakes, turtles, toads, dogs, cats, and pheasants for eating. The animals are thought to have curative values. Now, such animals have become an expensive delicacy and a way to show one's wealth. Most of these animals are illegal to serve as food. In some cases poachers poison swans to capture them and the meat is passed on directly to humans. A concern exists that handling or eating such animals may cause the SARS infection. (Apr. 29, 2003)
An exotic animal market in Guangzhou where unhygienic handling and consumption of snakes, birds, tortoises, civets, cranes, and many other animals may be linked to the out break of SARS. The city government has prohibited consumption of exotic species but the animals are still available in local restaurants. (Apr. 7, 2003)
Hong Kong Custom's officers found seven boxes hidden inside a truck containing about US$9,000 in rare turtles intended for China for the manufacture of medicinal turtle jelly. (Apr. 5, 2003)
Demand for turtles by affluent Chinese and Hong Kong consumers for food and traditional medicines is threatening extinction of Asian turtles according to the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Gardens in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a main transit point for illegal trade in wild turtles. (Jan. 22, 2003)
An estimated 10,000 cats are eaten in Guangdong Province each day. Cat-meat restaurants popular a few years ago now have decreased. Most cat meat is sold at street stalls and in hot-pot restaurants. Some doctors have warned that there is a danger in eating cat meat because some cats carry parasites as well as the deadly feline spongiform encephalopathy disease, a variety of mad-cow disease. (Dec. 4, 2002)
A smuggler's boat, containing 600 live, endangered cobras in 27 boxes, was captured by Hong Kong police. The snakes presumable were being taken to restaurants in South China. (Nov. 15, 2002)
A Hainan Island court sentenced two wildlife traffickers to life imprisonment for illegally transporting 7,500 rare snails, 566 monitor lizards, 259 pythons, and 5 pangolins from Thailand to Hainan and on to Guangzhou. (Oct. 28, 2002)
Hong Kong authorities found abandoned boxes in the countryside containing 124 monitor lizards smuggled in from south-east Asia. They believe the lizards were intended for Guangzhou restaurants but the smugglers probably could not find buyers quickly. Two months earlier, authorities found 236 other monitor lizards abandoned in similar circumstances. (June 29, 2002)
Approximately 7500 smuggled turtles, 556 of which were endangered species, were confiscated in Hong Kong. The turtles were intended for restaurants in China. The estimated street value was US$410,000. (Dec. 22, 2001)
The demand by people of South China for food such as snakes, turtles, crocodiles, and pangolins is adversely affecting Southeast Asia's wildlife population. Increased income in South China is leading to increased demand for and purchase of wildlife from surrounding countries for exotic foods and Chinese medicine. (Nov. 2, 2001)
The scales taken from an estimated 5 to 6 thousand endangered pangolins were smuggled into Hong Kong from Indonesia and confiscated by Hong Kong police. The estimated value of the 2.7 tonnes of scales as Chinese medicine is about US$173,000. (Nov. 2, 2001)
A five-year inventory in Guangxi Province showed that pangolins were no longer present and significant decreases existed in the remaining populations of monkeys, snakes, turtles, lizards, and birds. Forest clearing, mangrove destruction, and habitat elimination are the primary causes. In addition, poaching animals such as snakes, pangolins, birds, and lizards for food continues. Some wild animals are bred in the province for release. (Sept. 26, 2001)
Atmosphere
Hong Kong tourism officials warned that Hong Kong air pollution could threaten the city's long-term tourist growth. Smog adversely affects visitors" health and scenic views like the view from the Peak. (Jan. 23, 2003)
China's annual environmental report states the following: about one-third of the mainland is adversely affected by acid rain; severe air pollution damages one-third of its cities; serious pollution affects one-half of its rivers; falling ground-water tables in the north adversely affect water supplies; coastal pollution and red-tide outbreaks worsened, and the processing of computer wastes in Guangdong Province produces carcinogenic fumes that contaminate the air, and rivers and groundwater with heavy metals. (June 1, 2002)
Guangdong and Hong Kong plan to eliminate the smog over the Pearl River Delta in eight years and to reduce harmful emissions by up to 55 per cent. The smog is caused by emissions from power plants, automobiles, and factories. (Apr. 30, 2002)
