China Wildlife Protection Law (2022 revision) Art. 40-41 — approval for importing wildlife species from abroad; release to the wild regulated (境外引进与放生)
Verbatim first-hand clauses from Articles 40 and 41 of the Wildlife Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (2022 revision, Presidential Order No. 126, effective 2023-05-01). Chinese original is the C1-verified text (each clause a byte-substring of the saved source file); an English gloss follows each clause. These articles are the most directly relevant to the exotic-pet trade: importing a wildlife species from abroad requires State-Council-level approval, and releasing wildlife to the wild is regulated, with legal liability for harm caused by casual release.
Verbatim C1 claims (each a byte-substring of the source file)
- 中文原文：从境外引进野生动物物种的，应当经国务院野生动物保护主管部门批准。从境外引进列入本法第三十七条第一款名录的野生动物，还应当依法取得允许进出口证明书。
EN: Anyone introducing a wildlife species from abroad must obtain approval from the State Council wildlife-protection authority; for species listed in the catalogue under Article 37(1) of this Law, an import/export permit must also be obtained as prescribed by law.
- 中文原文：从境外引进野生动物物种的，应当采取安全可靠的防范措施，防止其进入野外环境，避免对生态系统造成危害；不得违法放生、丢弃
EN: Anyone introducing a wildlife species from abroad must take safe and reliable preventive measures to stop it entering the wild and to avoid harm to the ecosystem; it must not be illegally released or abandoned.
- 中文原文：任何组织和个人将野生动物放生至野外环境，应当选择适合放生地野外生存的当地物种，不得干扰当地居民的正常生活、生产，避免对生态系统造成危害。
EN: Any organisation or individual releasing wildlife into the wild must choose local species suited to surviving there, must not disturb residents' normal life and production, and must avoid harm to the ecosystem.
Related: cn_wildlife_law_art28_trade_ban, exotic_pet_legality_au_epbc, exotic_pet_regulation_eu_ias.