Africa: China to Shut Down 22 Domestic Ivory Carving Factories, 88 Outlets

By Joseph S. Margai

Beijing — In a bid to protect wildlife and other endangered species in both China and Africa, the Chinese government has taken drastic action to shut down 22 ivory carving factories and 88 outlets by the end of 2018.

Already, the country's State Forestry and Grassland Administration, through the Endangered Species of Wild Fuana and Flora Import and Management Office, has shut down 12 ivory carving domestic factories and 55 outlets in March 2017.

Many African and non-African tabloids have been accusing China of exporting tusks and ivory from Africa, thereby destroying Africa's wildlife and souring the relationship between both parties.

For instance, QUARTZ Africa published in its headline "Ivory smuggling continues to hurt China's alliances in Africa", adding that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni personally accused local officials and two Chinese diplomats of smuggling 1.3 metric tons (about 2,900 pounds) of ivory out of the country in 2014.

Another story published on August 29, 2017 by The Guardian, headlined "Under pressure: the story behind China's ivory ban" stated that for years Chinese government officials were followed around the world, at every meeting, by a single issue: the scores of dead elephants across Africa, and the international community that blamed China for this "ivory holocaust".

The African Geographic (AG) on 12th July 2017, with its headline "Exposing illegal ivory trade in China - the Shuidong Connection", published that even though China has taken steps to close their domestic ivory market by the end of 2017, there was still a complete lack of enforcement against Chinese nationals who are involved in the illegal ivory trade.




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