US interior secretary says China, US working to end ivory trade

A U.S. Cabinet secretary says Beijing and Washington are both working to end commercial ivory trading.

U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said Friday that Chinese officials expressed their intention to end the ivory trade in China, the world's top market for illegal ivory. Jewell met in Beijing with Vice Premier Wang Yang and Forestry Administration head Zhao Shucong.

She said Beijing has not set a timeline to ban the trade but wants to close legal loopholes in fighting illegal ivory sales before a total ban is feasible.

Jewell said the U.S., also a major market for illegal wildlife products, is getting close to creating new rules that would ban ivory trading with some exceptions such as documented antiques.