China will ban all domestic ivory trade and
 processing by the end of 2017, a move described
 by activists as a potential "game changer" for African elephants.
African ivory is highly sought after in China,
 where it is seen as a status symbol and prices 
can reach as high as $1,100 per kg.
"China will gradually stop the processing and 
sales of ivories for commercial purposes by the
 end of 2017," the official Xinhua news agency said
 on Friday, citing a government statement.
The announcement follows China's move in 
March this year to widen a ban on imports of 
all ivory and ivory products acquired before
 1975 after pressure to restrict a trade that sees 
thousands of elephants slaughtered every year.
Xinhua said the complete ban would affect "34
 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading
 venues, with dozens to be closed by the end
 of March 2017".
"This is great news that will shut down the 
world's largest market for elephant ivory," Aili Kang, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation
 Society in Asia, said in a statement.
"I am very proud of my country for showing this
 leadership that will help ensure that elephants have a fighting chance to beat extinction. This is a game 
changer for Africa's elephants."
Conservationists estimate that more than 20,000
 elephants were killed for their ivory last year, 
with similar tolls in previous years.
The WWF campaign group says 415,000 of the animals remain.
The Convention on International Trade in 
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora 
(CITES), which took effect in 1975, banned ivory trade in 1989
Like other countries, China permits the resale of 
ivory bought before the ban, and also has a stockpile purchased with CITES approval in 2008, which it 
releases for sale with certification.
WWF also praised China's move to a complete ban
 but called on the Chinese territory of Hong Kong to bring forward a plan to end its ivory trade by 2021.
"With China's market closed, Hong Kong can become a preferred market for traffickers to launder illegal
 ivory under cover of the legal ivory trade," said 
Cheryl Lo, senior wildlife crime officer at WWF.