China is considering joining the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang on Tuesday, adding that the country supports the ATT's goals. 

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang made the comments after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on April 26 that the United States was withdrawing from the ATT, which regulates international trade in conventional arms and seeks to prevent and eradicate illicit trade and diversion of conventional arms by establishing international standards governing arms transfers.   

China said Tuesday it hopes that relevant countries can do more to strengthen the mechanism of international arms control and safeguard international and regional peace and stability.  

Calling the ATT an important multilateral treaty in the field of conventional arms control, Geng said that China supports the international community taking necessary measures in setting standards for international trade of arms and cracking down on illegal transfer and trafficking of arms.

(With inputs from Xinhua News Agency)

(Cover: File photo of Geng speaks in a news briefing. /Xinhua Photo)