The problem is that Chinese use Ivory figures as traditional gifts, and they will not ban them, just in the same way the Spanish won't ban bullfighting. This in

The problem is that Chinese use Ivory figures as traditional gifts, and they will not ban them, just in the same way the Spanish won't ban bullfighting. This increases the cost of ivory, which places a high reward for elephant tusks, which translates into their death sentence. Likewise high end pianos, billiard balls, and such, make use of ivory. According to surveys, the majority Chinese believe that elephant tusks grow back in the same way nails do, and they do not know that elephants need to be killed in the process. At least there are studies to make use of synthetic ivory. Now, the use of ivory itself doesn't respond to any actual need other than a cultural one. Many materials that are cheaper can replace ivory in most use cases.