TIANJIN (XINHUA) - China's north-eastern municipality of Tianjin on Friday (Feb 14) introduced a ban on the eating of wild animals as the country fights a coronavirus epidemic believed to be linked to the consumption of such creatures.

The city now forbids eating wild animals and their products that are under state or city protection, as well as other wildlife protected by previous laws and regulations, according to a decision approved at a session of the Standing Committee of the Tianjin People's Congress, the city's legislative body.

No unit or individual may hunt, sell, buy, transport, carry or deliver wild animals and their products for the purpose of consumption or trading, it stated.

Catering operators are not allowed to solicit business or lure consumers by presenting names and photos of banned wild animals on their signboards and menus.

The city will also impose severe punishment, including fines and revoking business licences, to crack down on illegal acts related to the consumption of wild animals and their products.

The ban is meant to eliminate the bad habit of eating wild animals and to block a possible source of epidemic infection, according to the decision.