Country intensifies efforts to halt trade

China will step up its efforts to stop the smuggling of wildlife and wildlife products, a senior official at the State Forestry Administration said.

Zhao Shucong, director of the administration, said officials will focus on combating the smuggling of wild animals and items such as ivory, ivory products and rhino horns by enterprises involved in transportation, post or express delivery.

In addition, authorities will focus on combating the online ivory trade and monitoring suspicious bank accounts and websites involved in such activity, while strictly overseeing ivory processing and trade until the commercial manufacturing and sale of ivory products are halted altogether.