China has announced a one-year ban on the import of all ivory products, which took immediate effect on Thursday.
China's State Forestry Administration announced the move days ahead of a visit to China by Britain's Prince William, who has campaigned against illegal wildlife trafficking.
Beijing is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but is the world's largest consumer of illegal ivory, with demand leading to the slaughter of thousands of wild African elephants annually.