China votes to join Arms Trade Treaty that Donald Trump wants to leave

Decision shows Beijing’s determination to support multilateral mechanisms for arms control, analyst says

China began legal process to join pact, which sets standards for the sale and transfer of conventional arms, in September

Reading Time:2 minutes

China was the world’s fifth-largest arms importer and exporter in the 2015-19 period. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:00pm, 21 Jun 2020Updated: 11:01pm, 21 Jun 2020

China’s top legislative body has voted to join a global treaty to regulate conventional arms sales that US President Donald Trump vowed to leave, in a sign Beijing is keen to position itself as a responsible player on the world stage.

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress agreed to join the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at a legislative session that ended on Saturday.

The treaty, which sets global standards for regulating the sale and transfer of conventional arms, was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 and took effect in December 2014. About 130 countries have since ratified or agreed to abide by the treaty.

China took part in the discussion and negotiation process for the treaty at the UN, but was one of 23 countries, including Russia, that abstained from the vote to adopt it.

The US signed but never ratified the ATT, and in April last year, Trump said he would pull out of it. Five months later, Beijing said it had begun the legal process for joining.

China has also been working on legislation to tighten export controls, including the sale of arms and dual-use nuclear products. A draft is expected to be ready for review at the end of this month.