Mr. Chairman,

China attaches great importance to humanitarian concerns caused by the use of certain conventional weapons and has all along been a staunch supporter and an active participant in the process of international conventional weapons disarmament. For the sake of maintaining international peace and security, China supports continued efforts to improve relevant international legal mechanisms on the basis of striking a reasonable balance between alleviating humanitarian sufferings and satisfying the legitimate military and security needs of sovereign states.

Mr. Chairman,

As the main legal framework addressing humanitarian issues in the disarmament field, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) has played an irreplaceable role in tackling humanitarian concerns caused by the use of such conventional weapons as anti-personal landmines. As a State Party to the Convention and all its annexed protocols, China has always been and will continue fulfilling its obligations arising thereof in an earnest manner, and working for further strengthening the universality and effectiveness of the Convention.

While fully complying with the CCW domestically, China has spared no efforts on international humanitarian assistance. Since 1998, China has provided more than 40 countries in Asia and Africa with demining assistance in various forms worth 70 million RMB, significantly enhancing these countries' capacity on clearance of mines and other explosive remenants of war. This year, China has sponsored demining training programmes in China for personnels from Sudan, South Sudan and Laos and will dispatch a teams of experts to Cambodia for on-site demining instructions. We are also working on delivery of assistance to landmine and cluster munition victims in Sri Lanka and Jordan.

In recent years, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has been increasingly exploited by terrorists, extremists and criminal organizations to cause fear and chaos. Such a worrying trend warrants sufficient attention from the international community. In order to safeguard regional peace, tranquility and domestic stability, China has always exercised strict control over civil explosives domestically, supported and played an active part in relevant international discussions and been willing to further our exchanges and cooperation with all parties concerned.

Mr. Chairman,

China firmly opposes illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (SALWs), and is keenly aware of the concerns of the victim countries and regions in this regard. China has all along supported and actively joined international efforts to combat illicit trade in SALWs. At the same time, China has also been stepping up efforts on strengthening domestic regulation and capacity building regarding management of SALWs, making its due contribution in combatting illicit trade in SALWs..

China is of the view that illicit trade in SALWs attributes to complicated causes, and thus calls for a holistic approach addressing both the root causes and the symptoms of the problem. For this purpose, the international community should take effective measures to help affected countries achieve economic development and social stability. It is also necessary to uphold the UN as the main channel for enhancing international cooperation aiming at comprehensive and effective implementation of the UN POA on SALW and the International Tracing Instrument. Governments of each country should continually strengthen its capacity-building and take on its primary responsibility for eradication of illegal arms trade.

The Chinese government has all along taken a prudent and responsible attitude towards arms export and strictly observed the principles of not to undermine peace, security and stability of the region concerned and no interference in the internal affairs of the recipient country. China never exports arms to countries or individuals under arms embargo imposed by the Security Council of the UN. China has established a comprehensive and effective arms export control system including end-user and end-use certificates by the recipient government, and a registration system for small arms export.

China supports the international efforts to regulate international arms trade and played a constructive role in the negotiation of the Arms Trade Treaty. China has no substantive difficulties with the content of the treaty and is seriously looking into the issue of signing the treaty. China will continue working closely with the international community in efforts to properly tackle the issue of illicit trade in conventional arms.

Mr. Chairman,

China attaches importance to transparency in armaments and devotes itself to enhancing military mutual trust among countries. In recent years, China has kept submitting annual report to the UN Register of Conventional Arms and taken an active part in the work of relevant GGEs. China is devoted to enhancing the universality and effectiveness of the Register and will continue its own efforts in this regard.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.