CHINA, which has been described by conservationists as the world’s leading hub for the illegal ivory trade, took everyone by surprise recently by destroying some six tonnes of confiscated ivory from its stockpile.
The landmark destruction of the confiscated ivory and products such as carvings and ornaments, which were said to be amassed over the years, is indeed a good piece of news for the world and China deserve all-round applause. The fact that China chose to destroy the ivory on the first week of the New Year is a symbolic gesture of the Chinese leadership that they are in sync with the views and feelings of conservationists and animal-lovers on the subject.