Foreign Ministry
spokesman Liu Jianchao said yesterday China's signing of a protocol
on the crackdown of illegal firearms has demonstrated the nation's
determination to join the international fight against the scourge.
"The signing of the protocol has once again proven that the Chinese
Government is committed to enhanced international co-operation for
a joint crackdown on illicit manufacturing and trafficking of small
arms," said Liu at a regular briefing.
He
added the signing, which took place on Monday in the United Nations
(UN) headquarters in New York, will also contribute to China's
domestic management of the manufacturing, storage, usage and
transfer of these weapons.
Small arms refer mainly to pistols, submachine guns, grenades and
portable anti-aircraft missile systems. The Protocol Against the
Illicit Manufacturing of, and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts
and Components and Ammunition, reached in March last year, is a
supplement to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized
Crime.
Liu said China has participated in the negotiations of the protocol
in a "constructive" manner and has made "positive" contributions to
the protocol.
The spokesman announced yesterday that US Deputy Secretary of State
Richard Armitage will begin his visit to China today.
He
will hold talks with Chinese leaders and officials from the Foreign
Ministry on bilateral relations and major international and
regional issues of common concern.
Liu also said China and the US will soon hold their third
consultation on anti-terrorism, although he did not give an exact
date.
(China Daily December 11, 2002)