China will continue its efforts to protect African elephants and curb the illegal ivory trade by cracking down on the black market.

"Combating the ivory trade and wildlife smuggling has always been a core task for China's law enforcement agencies," said Liu Dongsheng, deputy director of the State Forestry Administration, China's wildlife watchdog. And they are making a difference, he said.

"The number of illegal wildlife smuggling cases in 2014 dropped 70 percent from 2013," Liu said. Next, he said, "China will get tougher toward illicit tusks."