China Implements Ban on Ivory Imports

World Press Review published on 12 January 2018 an interview titled "China Makes Good on Its Pledge to Curb Elephant Poaching with Ivory Trade Ban" with Grace Gabriel, regional Asia director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

At the beginning of this year, China implemented a ban on the domestic sale and processing of ivory. As the largest consumer of ivory, this move should significantly reduce the incentives for the poaching and killing of elephants in Africa.

Ivory Market Shifts to Laos and Chinese Buyers

Nairobi-based Save the Elephants just published a report titled "The Ivory Trade of Laos: Now the Fastest Growing in the World" by Lucy Vigne and Esmond Martin.

Now that China is phasing out the legal sale of ivory, the retail business has moved to Laos where many of the shops are owned by traders from China. Chinese buy more than 80 percent of the ivory being sold in Laos. There are also a few buyers from South Korea and other Asian countries.

China's Phaseout of Ivory Trade Apparently on Track

Traffic published in August 2017 a report titled "Revisiting China's Ivory Markets in 2017" by Yuankun Zhao, Ling Xu, Yu Xiao, Jing Guan, and Wilson Lau.

China is scheduled to implement a total ban on the ivory trade at the beginning of 2018. The report concludes that in spite of some continuing implementation challenges, the phase out of the domestic ivory trade appears to be on track.

China, Africa and the Ivory Ban

The Conversation published on 8 June 2017 a commentary titled "Game Theory Suggests China Should Keep Ivory Trade Ban in Place Indefinitely" by Ross Harvey, South African Institute of International Affairs.

The author argues that how Chinese authorities choose to act in response to potential speculator strategies is crucial for improving elephant survival probability. Regulators should signal progress on implementing the ivory ban, and stating unequivocally that it will be indefinite.

China, African Elephants and the Ivory Ban

The World Wildlife Fund commented on China's recent decision to close down its domestic ivory trade by the end of 2017 in an article dated 30 December 2016 titled "China To Ban Domestic Ivory Trade by 2017."

The South African Institute of International Affairs published in September 2016 an analysis titled "Values, Culture and the Ivory Trade Ban" by Yu-Shan Wu, Stephanie Rupp, and Chris Alden. It deals with the important issue of ending elephant poaching at the source and suggests how policymakers can ensure that international policies gain traction at the local level, where it really matters.

What Do Chinese in South Africa Think of the Ivory Trade?

Foreign Policy published on 13 October 2016 an article titled "What Do Chinese in South Africa Think of the Ivory Trade?" by Zander Rounds, Hongxiang Huang, and Ruirui Gu.

The authors surveyed 428 Chinese residents of Johannesburg. The survey found that Chinese are increasingly aware of the harsh realities underpinning the sale of ivory and rhino horn. But they feel removed from complicity and not interested in taking a stand against it.

China and US Ban Ivory Tade: Cultural Problem Remains in Asia and Africa

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) published in September 2016 a paper titled "Values, Culture and the Ivory Trade Ban" by Yu-Shan Wu, researcher at SAIIA, Stephanie Rupp, City University of New York, and Chris Alden, London School of Economics and Political Science.

China and the US have now both agreed to ban the trade in ivory. Local values and culture in Asia, especially in China, and certain African countries continue to challenge the ability of governments to stop the slaughter of elephants.

East Asian Networks Smuggle African Ivory

The BBC published on 7 July 2016 a story titled "East Asian Networks 'Smuggle Ivory across Africa'" by Navin Singh Khadka. Drawing on a lengthy report by the NGO Traffic, the article emphases the role of East Asian gangs in the killing of about 30,000 African elephants annually for their ivory.

China Charged with High Level Illegal Ivory Smuggling

The London-based non-governmental organization Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) published a report on 6 November 2014 titled "Vanishing Point - Criminality, Corruption and the Devastation of Tanzania's Elephants."  The 36 page report notes that although China is the primary destination for ivory, countries such as Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia are also involved.

The report alleged that a visit to Dar es Salaam in December 2013 by a PLA Navy task force resulted in a major surge in business for illegal ivory traders.  The EIA added that a visit to Tanzania in March 2013 by a Chinese delegation led by President Xi Jinping created a boom in illegal ivory sales and caused local prices to double.  EIA charged that leaders of Tanzania's ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party protect the ivory traffickers.

The Washington Post did an article on this issue on 6 November 2014 titled "Chinese Officials Accused of Smuggling Ivory During State Visit to Tanzania" by Simon Denyer.  Both Tanzanian and Chinese officials denied the allegations in the EIA report in an article published on 7 November 2014 by the Voice of America titled "Tanzania Denies Chinese Officials Smuggled Ivory" by Megan Duzor.

Illegal Wildlife Trade in Africa

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has just published a highly technical analysis titled "Illegal Killing for Ivory Drives Global Decline in African Elephants" by George Wittemyer and a number of other authors.  Based on a study of illegal wildlife trade in Samburu, Kenya, the study concludes that the problem increased markedly after 2008 and was correlated strongly with the local black market ivory price and increased seizures of ivory destined for China. 

Foreign Policy magazine summarized the study in an article dated 20 August 2014 titled "These Two Charts Show How China is Helping Decimate Africa's Elephants" by Elias Groll. 

Chinese Merchant Gateways for Ivory and Rhino Horns

Pambazuka News published on 10 April 2014 an investigative report titled "Chinese Merchant Gateways for Ivory and Rhino Horns" by Hongxiang Huang, a Chinese journalist, and Oxpeckers, a center for investigative environmental journalists.  The report focuses on Chinese merchants in southern African involved in the illegal purchase of ivory and rhino horn.  This authors visited capital cities and the Zambezi border region where five southern African countries intersect. 

African Ivory Trade and the Role of China

National Geographic Television just released a superb program with Aidan Hartley that documents the killing of elephants in Africa for their ivory.  The problem is fueled by China's demand for ivory.  The program concludes the only realistic solution is that the government of China must say no to the importation of ivory.

The program will certainly be run again on PBS.  You can also see a preview and brief discussion of the problem by clicking "Battle for the Elephants."

Writing for the New York Times, Dan Levin did a lengthy piece on 1 March 2013 titled "From Elephants' Mouths, an Illicit Trail to China."  It also details the role of China and Chinese nationals in the ivory trade.