One-year ban 
for imports of 
ivory into China

The State Administration of Forestry declared the ban in a public notice posted on its official site, in which it said the administration would not handle any import request.

In an explanatory news report, an unnamed forestry official told the state-run Legal Evening News that authorities hope the ban would be a concrete step to reduce the demand for African tusks and to protect wild elephants.

The official said the temporary ban would allow authorities to evaluate its effect on elephant protection before they can take further, more effective steps.

China is the world’s largest importer of smuggled tusks, although Beijing has campaigned against illegal ivory.