China will firmly support the purpose and objective of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and faithfully fulfill its obligations, a senior Chinese diplomat said here on Monday.

In a statement to the Sixth Conference of States Parties to ATT, scheduled between Aug. 17 to 21 and being conducted through written procedure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Li Song, China's ambassador for disarmament affairs, said that China supports the international community to take all necessary measures to regulate international arms trade and to combat illicit transfer of conventional arms.

Li told the conference that China's accession to the ATT is a significant step of its active participation in the global governance on arms trade and in safeguarding international and regional peace and stability.

The ATT will enter into force for China on Oct. 4 of 2020.

"China has always taken a prudent and responsible approach and exercised strict control on its arms export," Li said, adding that a full-fledged policy and legislative system of export control on conventional arms has been established in the country.

He proposed to enhance the universality and effectiveness of the ATT, to enhance the interaction and coordination among relevant mechanisms on conventional arms control in the framework of the UN, and to enhance the sense of responsibility in arms trade.

"China is ready to join hands with all parties, including the States Parties to the ATT, to consolidate consensus and make greater contributions to the effective implementation of the ATT, to the establishment of a fair and regulated international order of arms trade, and to safeguarding the international and regional peace and stability," said the ambassador.