An environmental protection group has accused China of being the main player in the illegal logging in the Congo Basin that covers Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
According to a report by Greenpeace, every year approximately 3 million cubic meters of timber leave the Congo Basin to China’s cities with considerable amounts resulting from illegal logging.
This practice which is contrary to the applicable standards of protection is made possible by the absence of China’s legislation banning the import of illegal timber, the report adds.
Greenpeace believes that the country has the means to end this practice which poses a serious threat to the second largest forest basin in the world.
China imports 75% of Africa’s wood production.