“The United States commends the Government of the People’s Republic of China for destroying more than five tons of ivory in Guangdong Province,” U.S. Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said in a statement issued recently in Washington, D.C.
“Destroying illegal wildlife products demonstrates a strong commitment to ending wildlife trafficking, a global challenge with conservation, economic, health and security dimensions that affects all nations,” she continued. “China’s action, building on similar events held in the United States, Kenya, Gabon and the Philippines, will send a powerful message to wildlife poachers and traffickers and to the consumers of illegal wildlife products.”
In the past few years, the poaching of elephants has swelled to record numbers. China’s recent action in January 2014 in destroying more than five tons of ivory in Dongguan, a city in the southern province of Guangdong and a major hub for the ivory trade, is a concrete realization to commitments made at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in July 2013, which also included steps to strengthen law enforcement and reduce the supply of and demand for illegally traded wildlife. The United States similarly crushed six tons of ivory in Denver, Colorado in November 2013. The Philippines, Kenya and Gabon have also destroyed stocks of ivory in their countries.
“United States Government officials from the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our Mission in China participated in the day-long event [in China],” Deputy Spokesperson Harf said. “The United States remains deeply committed to working in partnership with governments, local communities, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and others, to strengthen the global commitment to combat wildlife trafficking.”
“Destroying illegal wildlife products demonstrates a strong commitment to ending wildlife trafficking, a global challenge with conservation, economic, health and security dimensions that affects all nations,” she continued. “China’s action, building on similar events held in the United States, Kenya, Gabon and the Philippines, will send a powerful message to wildlife poachers and traffickers and to the consumers of illegal wildlife products.”
In the past few years, the poaching of elephants has swelled to record numbers. China’s recent action in January 2014 in destroying more than five tons of ivory in Dongguan, a city in the southern province of Guangdong and a major hub for the ivory trade, is a concrete realization to commitments made at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in July 2013, which also included steps to strengthen law enforcement and reduce the supply of and demand for illegally traded wildlife. The United States similarly crushed six tons of ivory in Denver, Colorado in November 2013. The Philippines, Kenya and Gabon have also destroyed stocks of ivory in their countries.
“United States Government officials from the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our Mission in China participated in the day-long event [in China],” Deputy Spokesperson Harf said. “The United States remains deeply committed to working in partnership with governments, local communities, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and others, to strengthen the global commitment to combat wildlife trafficking.”
