I have just read all of this and although I strongly disagree with what China is doing, I have to agree with the one who stated that it is a cultural thing and these animals are not endangered species. Coming from the south and having eaten beef,pork and chickens and turkeys all my life, I am hooked, although I eat in moderation. I DO NOT agree with the practice of DEER HUNTING that is so popular in my area because although the hunters eat the meat, they do not have to depend on deer meat to survive as our ancestors did. On the other hand, they can say they do it for population control. Maybe that is what the Chinese are doing.
Now, some of you are going to hate me for this but down here on the coast of South Carolina, we do make the practice of eating crabs and lobsters. We do boil them while they are still alive, but that is because you can not eat crestacians once they are dead. They spoil fast. So, I am a crab killer but the meat is soooo good!! And I don't think you can really get very close to sea creatures, they don't make very good pets.
However, Ben E Gas, you probably know that they do eat turtles in the carribean.(and even here in SC, but I would not!)
People eat iguanas in Central America and they are pets here in the US. In Australia they eat Kangaroo and Ostrich.
So, it really is a regional, social thing.
We should not be condemning others for their actions because we ourselves do things that are not "kosher" to others!!!