Animal welfare in China

Obtaining an accurate picture of animal welfare in China requires understanding of history, culture and politics in this large and complex country.  

In this episode, Dr. Peter Li, a distinguished scholar and China animal policy expert, shares insights on animal welfare in China including wet markets and the role they played in the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic.  

Dr. Li is Associate Professor of East Asian Politics, Animal Law and Policy at the University of Houston (Downtown) and a consultant (China Policy Specialist) for Humane Society International (HSI).  He is the author of Animal Welfare in China: Politics, Culture and Crisis.

In this episode Dr. Li explains current animal welfare concerns in China through the socio-political dynamics of the past 70 years and how they differ from historical cultural norms.  

In addition to discussing the use of wildlife for traditional medicine and other purposes, he explores companion animals and farm animals in China, and the ways in which the communist government has impacted many of the country's cultural practices regarding animals and animal welfare. 

Here you can see a select number of Dr Li's his op-ed pieces: https://www.scmp.com/author/peter-j-li; and his peer-reviewed journal articles (https://works.bepress.com/peter-li/.  Dr. Li’s latest publication on China’s animal welfare crisis, animal policymaking and legal development at a time of great social and economic transformation. 

Episode Links and resources:

• Dr. Peter Li on LinkedIn
• Global Animal Law Association
• Twitter
• Book: Animal Welfare in China: Politics, Culture and Crisis.

Show links:

• Host Maureen Armstrong on LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram