Hong Kong’s chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, announced on Wednesday that the territory would ban both the import and export of ivory, though he did not say when the ban would be implemented, The Guardian reported. Hong Kong has long been a major hub for the sale of ivory, much of which makes its way to mainland China, which accounts for 70% of the global demand for ivory, according to wildlife NGOs. Authorities in Hong Kong already seize ivory traded without authorization, but legal ivory sales can still serve to provide cover for illegal trade.
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