On May 22, the Event on Promoting Capacity Building for Wildlife Industry Protection and Sustainable Development was successfully held in Guangzhou. The event was hosted by the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance, the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the China Timber & Wood Products Distribution Association (CTWPDA), and was co-organized by the TRAFFIC Beijing Office. Over 130 representatives from various industries participated in the event.

During the keynote speech session, Guo Xiying, Deputy Section Chief of the Second Investigation Division of the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of Guangzhou Customs, mentioned that from 2018 to the present, there have been 210 criminal cases involving the smuggling of timber and wood products, with a total value of RMB 5.3 billion. She noted that precious woods such as rosewood, padauk, and agarwood are among the key targets of anti-smuggling efforts.

In the industry sharing session, Shen Wei, Vice President and Secretary General of CTWPDA, shared data on wood imports and exports, noting that imports of tropical timber and rosewood have significantly declined in recent years. She mentioned that the increasing number of tree species being included in the CITES Appendices has also had a certain impact on the industry. Finally, she introduced CTWPDA's efforts to build a green wood supply chain and called on wood industry enterprises to actively participate.

During the timber industry roundtable meeting, participants engaged in lively discussions centered around the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the expansion of the CITES Appendices. Tang Huanhao, Vice President of HongLin Holdings Limited, stated that the company has made significant efforts in due diligence in recent years and is well prepared to respond to the implementation of the EUDR. Li Liumou, General Manager of Guangzhou Linmeng Building Materials Co., Ltd., noted that while raising awareness of legality, we must also continuously enhance our international discourse power to ensure fairness in international trade. Wu Jiyang, General Manager of Dongguan Muzunge Investment Co., Ltd., and Zhan Zengfa, General Manager of Guangzhou Hongsen Wood Industry Co., Ltd., shared insights on the rosewood market, indicating that the CITES Appendices have had a significant impact on the rosewood market. They emphasized that enterprises should consciously comply with relevant policies and follow legal procedures accordingly.

This event helped deepen wood industry enterprises' understanding of laws and regulations related to the management of endangered wildlife, contributing to the promotion of sustainable development in the wood industry.