China always supports the international efforts in resolving the problem of small arms and light weapons (SALW), and constructively participated in the UN Conference on combating the illicit trade in SALW held in July 2001. China holds that all countries could make positive contributions to combating the illicit trade of SALW by faithfully implementing the Program of Action (POA) adopted by the Conference. China has already conducted and will continue its efforts to formulate concrete measures to implement the POA. In July 2002, the Chinese Government sent its expert to attend the first session of the UN Governmental Experts Group on the study of feasibility of an international instrument on identifying and tracing illicit SALW, and played a constructive role during the meeting.

The Firearms Protocol attached to the UN Convention on Combating Transnational Organized Crimes has stipulated a series of rules and norms on combating illegal manufacturing of and illicit trafficking in firearms. China believes that the Protocol will play a positive role in that regard. China is actively studying the signature of the Protocol.