China on Thursday announced a ban on the importation of elephant ivory from Africa for one year. The move is part of the government's newest effort to combat poaching and save the dwindling elephant population on the continent.

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The new ban on the importation of all African ivory acquired as hunting trophies was announced by the State Forestry Administration (SFA). The prohibition, which follows a similar one-year ban instituted in February, would end on October 15^th, 2016.

The ban in February prohibited all importation of African ivory carvings bought after the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1975.

According to the SFA, officials would conduct a review to decide if the ban instituted in February should be extended.

The trade of ivory art is legal in China only if the items were imported before the country joined CITES in 1981. The law also condones the trade if the items come from the government's stockpile.

Annually, the Chinese government releases some ivory to licensed factories for sale. The stockpile was purchased in 2008 from eight African countries.

The Chinese government has been unwavering in its efforts to curb the illegal trade of smuggled elephant ivory as well as the body parts of other endangered species. China is the world's largest consumer of ivory.

The new ban reflects China's acceptance of the important role it has to play in the fight against poaching, which has led to the killing of whole populations of animals in Africa.

The United States is the next biggest market for illegal ivory, which, according to a report, yields traffickers nearly $10 billion annually.

The United States and China agreed to jointly ban ivory imports and export. Both countries made the agreement last month during President Xi Jinping's first official visit to the United States.

Xi and U.S. President Barack Obama agreed to implement regulations to stop the domestic trade of ivory. The bilateral agreement also includes heavy restrictions on ivory obtained as hunting trophies.

Last week Friday, the White House released a statement on the agreement between the two countries to implement a restriction on ivory imports and exports.

The trade of ivory is legal in the U.S. if the items were purchased before 1989, when a global ban on ivory trade was enacted.

China's newest ivory ban comes ahead of Xi's visit to Britain. In the past, members of the British royal family have urged China to pep up its fight against the illicit ivory trade. In March, during a visit to China, Prince William pressed Beijing to put an end to the trade in ivory.

Xi's is set to arrive in Britain on the 19^th. His visit expected to last until the 23th. Reports indicate that the 62-year-old Chinese President will be lodged at the Buckingham Palace, home of the British royal family.

TagsChina Bans Invory Import, China Ivory Import Ban, China Elephant Ornaments Import Ban, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), China-U.S. Ivory Import/Export Ban