Q: It's reported that the U.S. military spokesman in Iraq claimed recently that the U.S. military had found that Chinese-made arms, including missiles, were smuggled to insurgents in Iraq through Iran. What's your comment?

A: Recently, certain countries linked China's normal arms trade and cooperation with some countries to arms smuggling and even regional security instability. This act is misleading and out of ulterior motives. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to it.

The Chinese Government always adopts a prudent and responsible attitude towards its arms export and manages its arms export in strict accordance with its international obligations and domestic laws and regulations. It adheres to three principles in arms export, namely, beneficial to the legitimate self-defense capability of receiving state; not detrimental to peace, security and stability of the region and the world at large; no interference with the internal affairs of receiving state.

The Chinese Government practices a strict arms-sale policy.  Arms can only be exported to the governments of sovereign states. The receiving states are required to provide guarantee for end-user and destination, and assurance of not to transfer them to any third party. China never sells arms to any non-state entities or individuals.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China is fully aware of its responsibility in upholding international and regional peace and security. China always faithfully implements related resolutions and never sells the banned weapons to any state or region under the Security Council's arms embargo.

China conducts normal arms trade and cooperation with many countries under the above-mentioned principles. Such cooperation complies with Chinese policies and regulations governing arms trade, the norms of related UN Security Council resolutions and China's international obligations.

What I want to emphasise is that China has all along participated actively in the post-war reconstruction in Iraq and made unremitting efforts to realize regional peace and stability. The various parties need to strengthen cooperation and make joint efforts in order to safeguard peace and stability in the region and the world. It won't help to solve the problems by making irresponsible remarks. China is ready to continue its constructive efforts with the international community to realize Iraq's security, stability and economic development in an early date.