China concludes all legal procedures of accession to Arms Trade Treaty

BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- China has completed all legal procedures of accession to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Zhang Jun deposited China's instrument of accession to ATT to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, which marks the conclusion of all legal procedures for China's accession to the treaty, according to spokesperson Zhao Lijian.

The treaty will enter into force for China 90 days after the deposit of the instrument of accession, Zhao told a press briefing.

Accession to the ATT is an important step in China's active participation in global arms trade governance to safeguard world and regional peace and stability, Zhao said, adding it also demonstrates China's resolve and sincerity in supporting multilateralism, maintaining international arms control regime, and forging a community with a shared future for mankind.

As a country in regular arms trade, China always strictly regulates export of military articles and has put in place a full-fledged policy and legal system of export control, with policies and management measures meeting or in some areas even exceeding ATT requirements, Zhao said.

"It is worth pointing out that China only allows export to sovereign states, not non-state actors. This fully demonstrates our high sense of responsibility," he said.

China calls on all parties to strictly regulate export of military items, disallow export to non-state actors, stop interfering in sovereign nations' internal affairs through arms export, and earnestly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, he said.

As a State Party to the ATT, China is ready to strengthen communication and cooperation with all countries to enhance the treaty's efficacy and universality and improve global arms trade governance, Zhao said.