The Internet has become the main transaction channel for the world's illegal animal trade. Recently, the WWF, one of the world's largest environmental protection organizations, announced a cooperation deal with the Chinese internet giant, Tencent. They're looking to use digital technology to create awareness around environmental protection. Our reporter Ge Yunfei has more on their partnership now.

Every year, more than 20 thousand elephants are killed in Africa for their tusks. The annual value of the illegal animal trade is about 20 billion dollars. And in the digital era, the internet has become the largest transaction channel for this trade. On Friday in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, the Worldwide Fund for Nature and Tencent, China's largest internet company, announced they were joining forces against the illegal animal trade on the internet. Marco Lambertini, the director general of WWF, says they aim to greatly increase public awareness.

The agreement covers three projects: digital landmark, digital online course and digital rescue.

LI HANG, GENERAL MANAGER MARKETING & PR DEPT., TENCENT "With the digital landmark project, people can use their smartphone to scan a city landmark. And augmented technology will show an endangered species like the Chinese White Dolphin on the phone. We hope this is to raise public awareness about environmental protection."

This is one of WWF's many pioneering uses of cutting-edge technology for environmental protection. Blockchain is another.

Since he took office 6 years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been a strong advocate of protecting the environment. Lambertini says the WWF, as the first NGO to enter China almost 40 years ago, is keen to partner with China to make the country a beautiful and healthy place. Ge Yunfei, CGTN, Shenzhen.