The giant panda is the national treasure of China. The Chinese Constitution stipulates that the State protects rare animals and plants. The government has enacted and implemented relevant laws and regulations, including the
Law of the Forest,
Law on the Protection of Wildlife, and
Law of Environmental Protection. Relevant regulations include the Terrestrial Wildlife Conservation Regulation, Nature Reserve Management Regulation, and the Forest and Wildlife Nature Reserve Management Measures and so on. These laws and regulations provide a legal insurance for panda conservation, and promote the conservation of panda and its habitats.
In 1987, the National People's Congress ratified a supplement of the Penal Code to effectively punish the illegal activities of poaching and smuggling of giant pandas. According to the supplement, those involved in poaching and smuggling of giant pandas will be sentenced to a minimum jail term of 10 years or even to death, besides having all their property confiscated. This is designed to effectively protect giant pandas and other rare animals from man-made damage.
In the 1970s and 1980s, pandas living in nature habitats were seriously threatened, because large areas of bamboo flowered and withered away. Many Chinese people and foreign friends donated money and goods for the people's common and precious nature heritage. In order to make good use of these donations, Chinese government promulgated a Regulation on the Fund Management for Giant Panda Conservation. The regulation has ensured reasonable use of the conservation project funds as well as donations, while encouraged donations both from home and abroad. It also helps to guide and supervise the donations for the other projects.