全面停止象牙交易 (quánmiàn tíngzhǐ xiàngyá jiāoyì): Completely ending ivory trade

Completely ending ivory trade

全面停止象牙交易

(quánmiàn tíngzhǐ xiàngyá jiāoyì)

The State Council, China's Cabinet, has announced there will be a total ban on the commercial processing and trade in ivory by the end of the year.

The announcement requires an end to sales of ivory in the market and through other transaction channels such as the internet by the end of 2017.

Statistics show that at present there are 34 designated ivory processing enterprises and 143 designated ivory sales places in China. According to the document, the State Forestry Administration will shut down 10 to 15 designated ivory processing enterprises and 50 to 60 designed ivory sales places before March 31, and all the rest of the country's designated ivory processing and trade organizations will be closed down by the end of this year.

The ivory trade is called the fourth illegal industry after drug, people and arms trafficking. The trade volume of the illegal ivory trade is thought to be around $10 billion a year.

China has taken active measures to fight against the illegal ivory trade. In September 2015, China and the United States reached a consensus on fighting against the illegal trade in wild animals and plants, which included banning the trade in ivory.

The new announcement shows China's resolve to curb the illegal ivory trade.