The United States praised China for destroying more than 600 kilograms of ivory in Beijing on Friday and for its commitment to halt the commercial processing and sale of ivory and related products.

Jeff Rathke, director of the office of press relations at the US State Department, issued the statement on Friday after China destroyed 662 kg of confiscated ivory.

The illegal ivory, which was seized over the past year, was dumped into crushers in Beijing and ground down by the State Forestry Administration (SFA) and the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

It was the second such demonstration of China's stance against wildlife crime. In January last year, 6.1 tons of confiscated ivory were destroyed in the southern city of Dongguan.

"Destroying illegal wildlife products demonstrates China's ongoing strong commitment to ending wildlife trafficking, a global challenge with conservation, economic, health and security dimensions that affects all nations," Rathke said.

"China's action today, building on China's crush in Guangdong province in 2014, as well as similar events held in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Chad, Belgium, Kenya, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Congo, sends a powerful message to wildlife poachers and traffickers and to the consumers of illegal wildlife products."

China and the US are the world's two largest markets for ivory. Rathke described Friday's event as "a concrete action that reinforces commitments made at the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogues in 2013 and 2014."

"Securing a ban on the commercial sale of ivory is a critical element in our efforts to stop the poaching and end wildlife trafficking," he said. "We look forward to continuing our mutual efforts when we meet during the next Strategic and Economic Dialogue in June."

In front of diplomats and reporters, including US government officials from the US embassy in Beijing, the ivory was crushed at the Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in the Shunyi district as a demonstration of the stance the country is taking against the trade, the State Forestry Administration said.

Engraved tusks and carved ivory artworks were fed into a large crushing machine that sent clouds of dust and powder into the air.

The ivory was smuggled from Africa either by travelers who carried it in their luggage or through the mail service.

China is stepping up its efforts to combat the illegal trade in endangered species and wildlife products, a Chinese government minister said on Friday as he witnessed the destruction in Beijing.

"This event has demonstrated the Chinese government's firm resolution to protect the environment, and conserve wildlife and combat the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products, including ivory," said Zhao Shucong, the minister in charge of the administration.

He said stricter measures will be taken to prevent illegal movements of wildlife and products made from it by transportation, post and express delivery companies.

The authorities will combat illegal online trading in ivory by monitoring websites and examining the bank accounts of those involved. Legal ivory processing and trading will continue to be strictly controlled until the commercial manufacture and sale of ivory products is eventually halted, he said.

Yan Xun, a senior official at the forestry administration's Wildlife Protection Department, said 34 manufacturing companies have been granted licenses to import ivory and ivory products.

Across the country, 200 sales outlets have received approval from the administration to sell ivory and carved products. China announced a one-year ban on imports of carved ivory products in February.

Demand for ivory and carved artworks has soared among collectors in China in recent years. People in China work with gangs in Africa to smuggle in ivory and sell it on the black market, according to the General Administration of Customs.

The administration says its officers investigated 282 cases involving the smuggling of ivory and products made from it from 2012 to last year and arrested 458 suspects.

Contact the writers at zhangyan@chinadaily.com.cn, and chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 06/01/2015 page1)