China has announced a ban on all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017.
Conservation groups hailed the decision as “historic” and a “game-changer” for the future of elephants.
The move follows a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in South Africa in October.
China has the biggest ivory market in the world – some estimates suggest 70{d59e984f9fbc5c09e4ab0305e27bfa5819922b7230cd324f89a660f78358ca33} of the world’s trade ends up there.