VietNamNet Bridge – Chinese merchants have been collecting precious plants in large quantities in Vietnam, but no action has been taken by local authorities or agencies to stop them.

Dr. Nguyen Lan Dung, Chair of the Vietnam Biology Association, has rung the alarm bell over the loss of precious plant varieties in Vietnam.

People rush to go to the forests to pick up plants to sell to Chinese merchants for money, as they are not aware of their responsibility to preserve these precious genetic sources.

Dung cited foreign scientific research works as saying that some precious herbs had been found to help fight against cancer.

The names and the images of 50 plant species which can be used in cancer treatment have been made public. However, as Dung said, the information cannot catch the public attention.

Ironically, while Vietnamese are indifferent to their “treasure”, the neighboring Chinese have been rummaging for it.

“Many Chinese merchants have been flocking to Vietnam to look for herbs useful for treating cancer. One of them is “that diep nhat chi hoa”, or Paris polyphylla,” Dung said.

Just within a short time, diep nhat chi hoa plants have been rooted out and destroyed, and sold to Chinese.

Though it is named in the Red Book, Vietnamese think that it can only help treat some common diseases.

“Vietnam does not carry out scientific research works about the plant species, and therefore, people don’t know what and how they need to do to protect national precious genetic sources,” Dung commented.

“Competent agencies have not taken any actions to protect genes even though scientists many times have warned about plant extirpation,” he added. “This shows that Vietnam does not think of ‘closing the stable door even after the horse has bolted’.”

He stressed that Vietnam urgently needs to create policies to retain and develop genetic sources in accordance with international standards, or “it will be too late”.

When asked about international cooperation, Dung said it is quite normal for involved parties to exchange genetic sources, but this must be carried out on the basis of mutual benefit.

Meanwhile, many precious plants have been sold to the Chinese, while Vietnam has not received any benefits.

Some plant species named in the Red Book might become exhausted one day.

Local newspapers recently have quoted scientists as warning that Vietnamese ca coc Tam Dao (Paramesotriton deloustali) has been sold abroad in large quantities, which may lead to extinction.

Some local authorities have released decisions to prohibit the trade of plants listed as rare and precious species.

Quang Ninh provincial authorities, for example, have prohibited trade in rare and precious plant varieties in an effort to prevent the loss of precious genetic sources.

Dung, while applauding the decisions, said it is still necessary to impose stiff punishments on the Vietnamese who collect precious plants and sell to foreign merchants.

Dat Viet