Chinese 'ambassadors' shine spotlight on bloody trade

High-profile figures from the media and advertising visit East Africa as part of bilateral efforts to stem domestic demand for illegally trafficked ivory and rhino horns. Chen Liang reports from Nairobi, Kenya.

To combat the illegal trade in African wildlife in China, especially in ivory, basketball player Yao Ming visited Kenya in 2012, while actress Li Bingbing traveled to the country in 2013.

For Grace G. Gabriel, Asia regional director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the visits were mainly fact-finding missions with one aim - to persuade Chinese citizens to say no to products made from elephant ivory and rhino horn in the hope of curbing the demand that fuels poaching in Africa.