Jackie Chan to feature in China’s wildlife plan
THE Chinese embassy in Pretoria is planning to bring famous Chinese movie stars like Jackie Chan to South Africa to visit national parks to raise public awareness of wildlife protection in both countries.
Embassy spokesperson Pan Peng announced this yesterday at a press conference at the launch of the Year in South Africa festival this week.
Pan said China was taking “very seriously” its responsibility to protect wildlife and in particular to fight ivory smuggling.
She noted that the legislation against wildlife smuggling now carried the most severe punishments, up to life imprisonment and the enforcement of the law had been strengthened. It combined efforts of all government departments.
China had conducted major operations against ivory smugglers in East Africa and last January had burnt six tons of confiscated ivory. This year the making of ivory products had been banned for a year as an experiment to see if this reduced smuggling.
Pan said the efforts seemed to be bearing fruit because there had been a great reduction in the amount of ivory confiscated by Chinese customs authorities.
China’s education campaign against wildlife trafficking had also led to greater public awareness.
She said that President Jacob Zuma and Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed on Xi’s visit to South Africa in 2013 to hold yearly country celebrations.
Last year, the two governments successfully held the Year of South Africa in China, and on Sunday they would launch the Year of China in South Africa at a large musical concert at the State Theatre in Pretoria.
Chinese Culture Minister Luo Shugang would attend the ceremony on behalf of his government.
China would organise more than 200 events in all nine provinces and major cities during this year, including joint music concerts and martial arts exhibitions and joint scientific parks.
Business representatives and think tanks from both sides would also hold dialogues.
The logo for the Year of China in Africa is in the shape of a Chinese lantern, but also incorporates the head of a springbok, South Africa’s national animal.