A controversial plan to let China legally buy stockpiles of African elephant ivory has been condemned by campaigners as a 'smokescreen' for poachers. By Jo Adetunji

A controversial decision to allow China to buy stockpiles of African elephant ivory looks set to go ahead this week after monitors from the group Traffic said the country had cracked down on its illegal domestic trade.

But campaigners are vehemently opposed to the sale, saying it would provide a "smokescreen" for increased poaching.

The 108 tonnes of ivory have been collected from culls in overpopulated areas, natural deaths and seizures and are being offered for sale by Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

International trade in ivory has been illegal since 1989, but in 2006 the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), which oversees the ban, agreed a one-off sale.

Only Japan has been approved as a buyer so far and a sale date is yet to be determined. But there is consensus that the four African countries are holding out for China to be approved, a move that will lead to competition and hence higher prices.

China also has the recommendation of the Cites Secretariat which says that anti-smuggling initiatives by China, the largest blackmarket for illegal ivory, have been effective. Cites's standing committee, meeting in Geneva, will decide if China's controls on the illegal trade are stringent enough to prevent illegal ivory being laundered with stock from the sale or it being re-exported.

"In 2002, China was the principal driver of the illegal trade and made very few seizures," said Tom Milliken, director of eastern and southern African operations for Traffic, which monitors the trade and advises Cites.

"Now it has been making seizures left, right and centre. They've added 100 seizures this year alone. On the domestic front China has moved aggressively."

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