China Halts Timber Imports From Laos

On 8 April China’s National Endangered Species Office issued a directive suspending imports of CITES listed timber species (Pericopsis elata) and (Dalbergia cochinchinensis) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Laos.

The Office reminded timber importers not import CITES listed timber from the two countries until the restriction is lifted.

This restriction follows a directive from CITES Secretariat recommending all signatory countries to suspend trade in CITES-listed species from the DRC, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Nigeria until further notice due to the failure of these three countries to submit a National Ivory Action Plan.

Source: PaperAge