China's top legislature adopts decision on joining Arms Trade Treaty

BEIJING - China's top legislature Saturday voted to adopt a decision on joining the Arms Trade Treaty.

Lawmakers approved the decision at a legislative session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, which ran from Thursday to Saturday.

The approval is a major step in China's active participation in global governance on the arms trade and safeguarding international and regional peace and stability.

The move embodies China's determination and sincerity in supporting multilateralism, safeguarding the existing international arms control system, and building a community with a shared future for humanity.

China has built a well-established system of policies and legal regulations on exporting arms.

China's participation will boost the universality of the treaty, promote normal military trade between China and other countries, and better regulate the international order of military trade.

The treaty, which came into force in December 2014, aims at regulating the trade of conventional arms and cracking down on illicit arms transfers.