2017年CRI Activists and industry insiders hail China's ban on ivory trade（在线收听）

A craftsman working at the Beijing Ivory Carving Factory, March 31, 2017. China's State Council has announced that all ivory processing and trade in the country will be phased out by the end of 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

As of the last day of March, China had phased out a third of its ivory factories and retail stores, under the instruction of the government's ivory trade ban.

All retail outlets commercially selling ivory products will be shut down by the end of 2017. The aim is to save more African elephants from illegal slaughter.

Activists and industry insiders have shown a positive attitude towards the measures.

John Scanlon, the Secretary-General of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, said he was deeply impressed by the outstanding skills of the master craftsmen during an inspection tour to the Beijing Ivory Carving Factory on Friday.

Managing director of the Beijing Ivory Carving Factory gives John Scanlon, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), a tour of the factory, March 31, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

Managing director of the factory, Xiao Guangyi, says ivory carving is part of China's traditional culture, but it's time to make some changes.

Xiao said: "Ivory carving has been an important part of China's traditional culture for thousands of years, and the materials we use were all legally imported with CETIS' accreditation. Chinese carving masters have a wish, to use their skillful hands and the ivory from the dead elephants to create beautiful artworks, as a continuation of the life of elephants. We support the decision made by the government. China, as a big country in the world, should set a good example of wildlife conservation to the world."

China's Forestry Administration has indicated that by the end of 2017 this licensed factory will be shut down along with another 21 remaining factories and 89 outlets, marking the full implementation of the ivory trade ban in the country.

John Scanlon says the enforcement of the law by Chinese authorities is a game changer in curbing elephant poaching and illegal trade in wildlife.

Managing director of the Beijing Ivory Carving Factory gives John Scanlon, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), a tour of the factory, March 31, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

He said: "This is not a criticism of master craftsmen of this skill and what they're doing. What we're doing here is illegal trade which has not being able to be stopped, has a devastating impact on the African elephants, on the people they rely on it. We need to stop it. China is taking very strong measures, making a bold decision to close its domestic markets, and we're seeing the first round roll out today. This is a strong measure to say, this illegal trade is not tolerated is going to be brought to an end, and China is leading by example."

China has long been regarded as the world's largest importer and end user of elephant ivory tusks.

According to researchers from Save the Elephants, the wholesale price of tusks was valued at 2,100 US dollars per kilogram in 2014, dropping to 730 dollars in February this year, just two months after China announced a ban on ivory trade.

A former ivory seller, Ai Cunqiang, says every Chinese citizen has the responsibility to protect the elephants and endangered wildlife as a whole.

He said: "From the point of view of the industry, because the whole world is banning this there might be some people who want to buy or sell, but I think that as a Chinese person we need to respect the law and I trust every Chinese person won't continue to trade or cause harm."

Managing director of the Beijing Ivory Carving Factory gives John Scanlon, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), a tour of the factory, March 31, 2017. [Photo: China Plus]

John Scanlon is calling for tightened global cooperation on the issue, now China has already set an example.

He said: "The inter-agency collaboration is extremely strong, and the collect of cross international borders with a range of states, working together within the international community. It's not easy. As the fourth largest country in the world, the largest population, 14 international borders, second largest economies, massive amount of trade in and out. So it's challenging to do with the issues. But the efforts along the way are quite extraordinary. And we've seen that the benefits of that are starting to be realized, with illegal trade to be brought down."

Sub-Saharan African countries lost an estimated 30,000 elephants annually when poaching was at its peak between 2008 and 2013.