EFTA02581195.pdf

From: Richard Kahn Sent: Tuesday, March 4, 2014 2:54 PM To: Jeffrey Epstein Subject: Fwd: Yao Ming Asks China Government to Ban Ivory should i forward this to =hristina for an article? please advise Richard Kahn HBRK Associates Inc. 575 =exington Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10022 tel =12-971-1306 fax =46-350-0954 cell Begin forwarded message: From: John Baker < Subject: =/b>Yao Ming Asks China Government to Ban =vory Date: March 4, 2014 10:09:08 PM EST To: Dear Richard, Last week, China's 36 top business leaders released a pledge =o never purchase, possess, or give ivory as a gift. WildAid China Board =hairman, Huang Nubo spearheaded pledge recruitment including Cao =uowei, CEO of Sina Corp., China's largest internet portal, as well as =0 individuals from the Forbes 2013 China Rich List including Jack Ma, =ounder of the Alibaba Group. WildAid =alutes their efforts and we continue to expand our communications =ctivities to broaden awareness and encourage more positive attitudes =or wildlife conservation because "when the buying stops, the killing =an too." More details on Yao Ming's petition and =r Huang Nubo's ivory pledge: Estimates show that at least 20,000 elephants are being =illed each year for their ivory. Elephant populations have been reduced =2% in the last 10 years. Rampant poaching is damaging the economies, =ourism industries, and stability of many African nations, while some -terrorist organizations are receiving funding from the trade in illegal =vory. EFTA_R1_01757277 EFTA02581195  A recent survey carried out by WildAid and =the African Wildlife Foundation and Save the Elephants] of 961 =esidents in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou indicates that 94% of those =urveyed support a government ban on ivory. China has recently begun =trengthening enforcement on illegal ivory smuggling, and earlier this =ear destroyed over 6 tonnes of confiscated ivory, showing the resolve =f the Chinese government to stifle the trade in illegal wildlife =roducts. Issues 1. After the ban on =nternational ivory sales in 1989, the market for ivory was =ignificantly reduced, leading to corresponding reductions in poaching =f elephants and an increase in elephant populations. After the purchase =f an ivory stockpile in 2008 which has helped revitalize Asian markets =or ivory, poaching of elephants across Africa has increased rapidly. =his shows that the trade in ivory is the main driver of elephant =oaching. 2. Criminal gangs are =ncreasingly smuggling ivory into China, causing China to spend a great =mount of manpower, funding, and other resources to combat this =muggling and storing of confiscated ivory. This is to the detriment of =hina's economy and safety. 3. Because of ivory's =igh market value, it is often purchased to be given as gifts, very =ften leading excess and corruption in the government. 4. China has made great =chievements in recent years on the protection of wildlife, but China's =vory market and ivory smuggling have damaged China's international =eputation. Recommendations Because the ivory trade is =eading to the poaching of elephants, I recommend that China ban all =ales of ivory, prohibit imports of ivory, prohibit the sale, purchase, =ransport, carrying, and shipping of all ivory products. I believe =hat this ban on ivory will lead to the protection of elephants, ease =he burden on customs officials, maintain safety, and help make China a =eader in wildlife conservation. Ivory =ledge In recent years, poaching as a =esult of the trade in illegal ivory is posing enormous threats to the =urvival of elephants. I'm aware of the =ollowing: 1. Each year around 25,000 African elephants are =illed for their ivory 2. The population of =lephants has declined 62% in the last 10 =ears 3. Rampant elephant poaching is having negative =mpacts on the economy, tourism, and national security of many African =ations 4. Terrorist groups in Africa are being supported in =art through the illegal ivory =rade 5. According to official reports and statistics, =hina is the largest importer of illegal ivory, and Chinese nationals =re increasingly involved in the illegal ivory =rade 6. Illegal ivory trade is damaging China's =nternational reputation. Because of this, I pledge the =ollowing: 2 EFTA_R1_01757278 EFTA02581196  1. I will not purchase, possess, or =ive ivory as a gift 2. I will encourage friends, family, =nd employees to not purchase ivory products Signatories Ding=Liguo — Founder, Liguo Corp. Feng Lun — Chairman, Vantone =oldings Huang Nubo — Chairman, Zhongkun =roup Jiang Xipei — Chairman, Yuandong =oldings Li =ongsheng — Chairman, TCL Group Li Shufu — Chairman, Geely =roup Li =henfu — China Regional President, Novartis =harmaceuticals Liu =huanzhi — Chairman, Lenovo Liu Donghua — Founder, Zhenghedao =roup Liu =iren — Chairman, Dongruan =roup Ma =un (Jack Ma) — Founder, Alibaba Group Niu Gensheng — Founder, Lao Niu =oundation Shen=Guojun — CEO and Chairman, Yintai Holdings =orp. Tang=Yue — Founding Partner, Blue Mountain China =apital Wang=Chaoyong — Founder and President, Xinzhongli International =oldings Xie =ian — Art and culture critic Xu Shaochun — Founder, Jindie Software =roup Xu =hihong — Scholar, China Academy of =cience Yang=Shaopeng — Chairman, Haifeng International Shipping =orp. Yu =inhong — Founder, New Oriental =roup Yuan=Yue —Chaiman, Lingdian =onsulting Zhang Weiying — Renowned =conomist Zhang Xingsheng ( Jim Zhang) — Managing Directory, The =ature Conservancy Greater China Region Zhou Qiren — Dean, Peking =niversity National Development =cademy Zhou=Qifeng — Renowned Chemist Zhu Xinli — Chairman, Beijing Huiyuan Beverage =ompany AID 3 EFTA_R1_01757279 EFTA02581197 4 EFTA_R1_01757280 EFTA02581198 744 Montgomery Street #300 San Francisco CA 94111 T <=div> =1span> </=pan> =/div> <=span> =/div> </=iv> </=iv> 5 EFTA_R1_01757281 EFTA02581199