Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian

The opening ceremony of the China-UN-Africa small arms and light weapons control capacity building training course was held in Beijing on Tuesday, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian at a press briefing on Tuesday. 

The training program is jointly organized by China and the United Nations, primarily targeting countries in the African Great Lakes region. Its aim is to help African countries enhance their small arms and light weapons control capabilities, reduce the risk of illegal arms proliferation, and support the African Union's "Silencing the Guns in Africa" initiative, Lin said. 

China has always attached great importance to and actively promoted peace and development in Africa. Cooperation with African countries on small arms and light weapons control is an important component of the "Ten Major Partnership Actions" for China and Africa to jointly advance modernization. It is also one of the key areas of the Global Security Initiative. 

China possesses a comprehensive set of policies and measures for small arms and light weapons control and has been one of the countries with the lowest incidence of gun-related and explosive violent crimes in the world for many consecutive years, Lin said.

The spokesperson said China is willing to continuously strengthen exchanges and cooperation with African countries in this regard, and support them in achieving peace, stability, development, and prosperity.

Global Times