Chair,

Currently, the international security situation is severe and complex. Regional armed conflicts are increasing. To ease the situation as soon as possible, ensuring the strict compliance with International Humanitarian Law by conflict parties, and strengthening conventional weapons arms control are urgent tasks for the international community.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Geneva Conventions. Not long ago, China and Brazil, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa and ICRC jointly launched a Global Initiative on IHL, and called upon the international community to reaffirm the political commitment to IHL.

The Chinese government firmly supports global conventional arms control, listing the cooperation in this field as one of its priorities in the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper. As a High Contracting Party to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons(CCW) and its five protocols, China strictly fulfills the relevant obligations.

Under the new situation, there is a high risk that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence would be misused or even weaponized. China advocates that all countries should adopt a prudent and responsible attitude when developing and using AI in the military field, and relevant weapon systems should remain under human control. China attaches great importance to the humanitarian, legal and ethical issues raised by lethal autonomous weapons systems(LAWS) and believes that CCW is the most appropriate forum to discuss this issue. China advocates that it is necessary to negotiate and reach a legally-binding international instrument when conditions are ripe. China welcomes the positive progress made by the GGE under the framework of the Convention and looks forward to reaching consensus by all parties on issues such as definition, characterization and scope as soon as possible. China supports continuous discussions on solutions to misuse of Improvised Explosive Device by non-State actors.

This year also marks 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty. China actively participates in global governance on arms trade, and attaches great importance to the ATT, which plays an important role in preventing the illegal transfer of arms and alleviating international and regional instability and humanitarian disasters caused by the proliferation of arms. China always manages export of arms in a prudent and responsible manner, strictly follows three guiding principles that it established in this field. Firstly, the export should be conductive to the legitimate self-defense capability of the recipient country. Secondly, the export would not undermine the peace, security and stability of the region concerned and the world as a whole. Thirdly, the export would not interfere in the internal affairs of the recipient country. China does not transfer arms to non-state actors.

China actively participates in the Small Arms and Light Weapons Programme of Action process. We appreciate the tremendous work done by the Chair of the First Committee as the Chairperson of the Fourth Review Conference of the POA to promote the consensus adoption of the outcome document. China will earnestly implement this outcome document. China will also take concrete actions to support the “Silencing the Guns in Africa” Initiative.

The Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management fills the gap of the international conventional ammunition mechanism. China will actively participate in the follow-up process.

China actively carries out international humanitarian demining cooperation by providing material assistance, personnel training, sending experts, etc. In recent years, China has provided assistance to more than 40 developing countries and held nearly 30 international humanitarian demining training courses. During the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation this year, President Xi Jinping announced that China would carry out the initiative to help Africa in demining, which is another important step by China to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. China and ASEAN also issued a Foreign Ministers' Joint Statement on Strengthening Humanitarian Mine Action Cooperation, expressing their commitments to enhancing cooperation in this field.

Chair,

China advocates the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. To strengthen cooperation in conventional arms control, China proposes the following:

Firstly, uphold multilateralism. Countries should actively support the UN as the main channel in conventional arms control, strengthen the universality and effectiveness of relevant mechanisms and enhance synergy among them, and support the peaceful settlement of conflicts through dialogue and consultation, so as to create an enabling international environment for addressing the proliferation of conventional weapons.

Secondly, strengthen national responsibility. Countries should adopt a responsible attitude to conventional arms control and continuously enhance their capacity in this field, on the premise of balancing legitimate military and security needs and humanitarian concerns. In this regard, major countries should set good examples by fulfilling their responsibilities. China calls upon relevant major arms exporter to accede to the ATT as soon as possible.

Thirdly, stay action-oriented. Countries should participate in practical cooperation at different levels, and strengthen  information exchange and experience sharing. China calls upon developed countries and capable developing countries to continue to provide greater support in terms of material assistance, technology transfer, capacity building, etc., so as to leave no country behind.

Chair,

China stands ready to cooperate with all states to achieve new progress in conventional arms control, facilitate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and make unremitting efforts to build a world of lasting peace and universals security.

Thank you, Chair.