Environmentalists say American, European and Japanese consumers are buying furniture made in China from wood imported from countries where illegal logging is rampant.
A new report compiled by a coalition of international environmental groups says imports of forest products from China to the United States and European Union have increased almost 900 percent since 1998.
At the same time, the study said, China has become the world's leading importer of wood from developing countries such as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, where illegal logging is common.
The environmental groups called on China to improve productivity within its own forestry sector and reduce its reliance on imports.
They also urged governments to crack down on corruption that drives the illegal business.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP .