BANGKOK -- Chinese President Xi Jingping has become an ally of Southeast Asian sleuths on the trail of criminal gangs involved in the illegal wildlife trade, an unexpected -- and positive -- side effect of the new coronavirus epidemic.
Xi issued a directive banning wildlife smuggling, giving a shot in the arm to Thai investigators, who have been battling the illegal trade for decades. Thailand is a key node for traffickers looking to move their catch from the forests of Africa to markets in China.
