Vietnam became an official member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1994. Since then, the Convention’s provisions have been step by step incorporated into the country’s legal framework. This article assesses the compatibility between CITES provisions and two important laws concerning wildlife conservation and protection, the 2015 Penal Code and the 2017 Law on Forestry, and puts forth some recommendations for further improvement.

The increase in human population and illegal wildlife hunting has led to a high risk of biodiversity loss and put many of the animals on the brink of extinction. Being fully aware of the seriousness of the situation, the Vietnamese Government has focused on improving the legal framework on wildlife conservation and protection. This article briefly introduces legal documents related to wildlife conservation and protection, analyzes shortcomings and limitations and puts forth some recommendations for improvement.