Update 13 November – After the widespread protests sparked by the announcement, made at the end of October by the Chinese government, of its intention to reopen the trade in tiger and rhino parts, a firm reversal has come from Beijing. In an interview published on 12 November by the official Xinhua news agency, the deputy secretary-general of the State Council, Ding Xuedong, explained that the new regulation will not come into force: "After studying the matter," the official stated, "the publication of the regulation has been suspended. The bans will therefore continue to be enforced. And violations will be punished severely."

Animal rights advocates around the world have reacted with dismay and anger to the decision by the government of China to reopen the trade in products derived from tigers and rhinos. The bones of the former, for example, will once again be allowed to be sold. The same applies to the horns of the latter.

Official aim: supporting traditional medicine, art and research. And fighting the black market

Beijing has announced in particular that the objective is to make certain "raw materials" used in traditional medicine available. This, at least, in certain "special circumstances", as specified by the Asian nation's executive itself. But the executive has also made no secret of its desire to support the market for "works of art" and "scientific research".

The controversial decision came at the end of October. It was nonetheless clarified that anyone wishing to trade in parts of tigers and rhinos will be required to obtain a special authorisation. This procedure is, moreover, reserved for certain parties only. In the health sector, for instance, only employees of hospitals recognised by the National Administration of Traditional Medicine will be permitted to submit a request.

China sets restrictions, but animal rights advocates are up in arms: "A death sentence for wildlife"

Furthermore, trade volumes will be "strictly controlled". As for "works of art", these will be subject to heritage oversight authorities, the only bodies that will be able to authorise "temporary cultural exchanges" of artefacts made from parts of the animals' bodies. It is hard to imagine that such restrictions could convince those who have upheld the ban for 25 years — a ban introduced in China back in 1993. It must nonetheless be borne in mind that the black market in the Asian nation has grown considerably over time, with heavy trading above all with Vietnam. But the new regulation, according to environmentalists, will not help, as it will encourage poaching.

"Through this decision, the Chinese government is signing a death sentence for wild rhinos and tigers," accused an official from the organisation Humane Society International. According to her, the new rules will give rise to a form of "laundering" of products derived from poaching. "The resumption of legal trade risks not only providing cover for illegal trafficking, but will also stimulate demand that had fallen since the ban came into force," added Margaret Kinnaird, WWF's biodiversity lead.

Humane World for Animals UK @humaneworlduk

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The tiger, moreover, is considered among the species at risk of extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Not to mention that the number of individuals bred in captivity has grown considerably in recent years, now standing at over six thousand. Rhinos are equally endangered, particularly certain species such as the black rhino.