How to tackle the illegal timber trade: new rules on implementing China's Forest Law could hold the key

The document argues that China's revised Forest Law, effective July 1, 2020, requires specific implementation regulations to effectively stop illegal timber imports. It recommends that these regulations mandate corporate due diligence, the use of detailed ledgers for traceability, and rigorous risk mitigation for tropical timber, particularly from high-risk suppliers like Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

• China's timber imports have grown rapidly, with the country now relying on imports for more than 50% of its timber. A significant portion of these imports is linked to illegal logging; specifically, 80% of China's tropical timber suppliers are associated with high levels of deforestation and illegal logging.
• The revised Forest Law, which took effect on July 1, 2020, established the first legal basis for addressing the illegal timber trade in China, but the necessary 'Regulations for Implementing the Forest Law' have not yet been issued.
• High-risk tropical timber sources are a primary concern, with research indicating that 70% of tropical log exports from Papua New Guinea, China's largest supplier, may be illegal. Additionally, the Solomon Islands, China's second largest supplier, exports timber at a rate more than 19 times its annual sustainable harvest.
• To ensure the law's effectiveness, the author recommends that the implementation regulations mandate corporate due diligence, the use of ledgers to record scientific names and source countries for traceability, the creation of a national electronic platform for these ledgers, and regular government inspections.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). How to tackle the illegal timber trade: new rules on implementing China's Forest Law could hold the key. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/how-to-tackle-the-illegal-timber-trade-new-rules-on-implementing-chinas-forest-law-could-hold-the-key/

Chicago

Global Witness. How to tackle the illegal timber trade: new rules on implementing China's Forest Law could hold the key. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/how-to-tackle-the-illegal-timber-trade-new-rules-on-implementing-chinas-forest-law-could-hold-the-key/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Witness |title=How to tackle the illegal timber trade: new rules on implementing China's Forest Law could hold the key |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/how-to-tackle-the-illegal-timber-trade-new-rules-on-implementing-chinas-forest-law-could-hold-the-key/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalwitnessndhow, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{How to tackle the illegal timber trade: new rules on implementing China's Forest Law could hold the key}}, publisher = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/forests/how-to-tackle-the-illegal-timber-trade-new-rules-on-implementing-chinas-forest-law-could-hold-the-key/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }