Import ban on ivory expanded

China has taken a further step to fight the legal ivory trade by banning imports of ivory and carved-ivory items acquired before July 1, 1975, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora took effect.

The ban, which took effect on Sunday, will last until Dec 31, 2019, the State Forestry Administration, China's wildlife watchdog, announced on Tuesday.

This marked another step after two actions taken in February and October of last year, when the administration imposed separate one-year bans - one on imported ivory acquired after July 1, 1975, and the other on ivory acquired during trophy hunting in Africa.