Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the Chinese government on the sale of wildlife from Zimbabwe.

The UK is working in close cooperation with China on the illegal wildlife trade. In the UK-China Joint Statement on Building a Global Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century, issued on 22^nd October on the occasion of the State Visit of President Xi Jinping, the UK and China recognised the importance and urgency of combating the illegal wildlife trade, and committed to take active measures to tackle this global challenge. We warmly welcome the recent announcement by China that it intends, in due course, to close its legal domestic market for ivory, and will continue to work with China to encourage this to happen as soon as feasible.

Through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, we are also supporting projects which address the rising demand for illegal wildlife trade products in China.

Defra has had no discussions with China over the sale of wildlife from Zimbabwe.