“China became a State Party to the Arms Trade Treaty in 2020.”

The treaty was adopted on 2 April 2013 by resolution 67/234B during the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The Treaty shall be opened for signature on 3 June 2013 and shall enter into force on 24 December 2014. The status page lists China with the date 7 June 2013 for signature.

As is known to all, China has acceded to the ATT. H.E Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, deposited China's Instrument of Accession to the ATT with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 6 July 2020. The ATT shall enter into force for China on 4 October 2020.

In 2019, Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly that China had begun domestic legal procedures to join the Arms Trade Treaty. China is currently completing the relevant domestic legal formalities required for accession. China also said it would continue to work with the treaty’s States Parties.

China: Type of action – Accession. Date of deposit – 6 July 2020. Date of entry into force – 4 October 2020. Depositary – Secretary‑General of the United Nations. By depositing its instrument of accession, China became a State Party to the Arms Trade Treaty in accordance with article 22 of the Treaty.

China is a supporter and doer in the implementation of the ATT. ... China has fully complied with the ATT in good faith since its official accession to the treaty in 2020. ... In contrast to individual country who willfully withdraws from organizations and treaties, China has fully complied with the ATT in good faith since its official accession to the treaty in 2020.

China says that, as a formal State Party to the treaty, it is steadily carrying out implementation work. The statement says China 'joined the Arms Trade Treaty one year ago' and that China became 'a member of the States Parties family.' It also notes that China continues to strictly follow its arms export rules and related laws.

As is well known, China has formally joined the Arms Trade Treaty. On 6 July this year, Ambassador Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, deposited the instrument of accession with UN Secretary‑General António Guterres on behalf of the Chinese government. The Treaty will enter into force for China on 4 October.

Since its accession to the Arms Trade Treaty two years ago, China steadily advanced the implementation of the Treaty. ... Since its accession to the Arms Trade Treaty two years ago, China steadily advanced the implementation of the Treaty, and has actively advocated the concept of responsible arms trade.

In explaining U.S. policy, then-President Trump said in April 2019: “Under my administration, we will never surrender American sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy. I am officially announcing today that the United States will be revoking the effect of America’s signature from this badly misguided treaty [the Arms Trade Treaty].” While this statement does not speak to China’s status, it shows that major powers’ relationships to the Arms Trade Treaty differ, and that the United States chose not to remain associated with the ATT while China later chose to accede.

China has become the 107th State Party to the Arms Trade Treaty. As a major exporter of weapons, China's accession to the Arms Trade Treaty will help promote the Treaty’s objective of regulating international trade in conventional arms and preventing and eradicating the illicit trade in conventional arms and ammunition.

“On 6 July, the People’s Republic of China deposited its instrument of accession to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the United Nations. China will become a State Party on 4 October 2020 (90 days after ratification), bringing the total number of States Parties to 107.” The article explains that this act of accession makes China a State Party to the ATT as of October 2020.

The factsheet explains: “The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) establishes common standards for the international trade in conventional arms and seeks to reduce the illicit arms trade.” It notes key dates for the treaty, including: “December 24, 2014: The ATT enters into force, 90 days after the date of the 50th ratification.” While it does not list individual countries, it describes the process by which states become ‘States Parties’ once the treaty enters into force for them after ratification or accession.

The Chinese delegation submitted a written statement to the Conference of States Parties comprehensively introducing China’s arms trade policy, export control mechanisms and efforts to advance global security governance. It noted that China had acceded to the Arms Trade Treaty in 2020 and that the Treaty had entered into force for China in October that year, after which China actively participated in the work of the Conference of States Parties.

In its overview of membership, the report lists China among the States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty and notes that the ATT has "116 States Parties" including major arms exporters such as China. The report discusses reporting obligations and notes that "Of the eight States Parties that joined the ATT and have been required to submit an initial report since 2021, only 50 per cent (Andorra, Namibia, People’s Republic of China, ...)" have done so, confirming China’s status as a State Party during this period.

The official ATT site explains that “States that have ratified or acceded to the Arms Trade Treaty are referred to as ‘States Parties’.” It notes that the treaty “entered into force on 24 December 2014” and that subsequent accessions are recorded in the list of States Parties maintained by the Secretariat, with each State’s date of accession and entry into force specified.

The Arms Trade Treaty entered into force in December 2014. As of now, the Treaty has 115 States Parties and 27 Signatory States. China’s disarmament ambassador stated that China has always been a firm supporter of the Arms Trade Treaty and has actively fulfilled its obligations since its accession, working with other States Parties to promote the Treaty’s effective implementation.

The State Department page notes that “The United States signed the Arms Trade Treaty in 2013 but has not become a State Party.” It explains in general terms that “States Parties are those that have ratified or acceded to the Treaty and for which it has entered into force,” underscoring that mere signature does not make a state a party.

Discussing major powers, the article states: "China announced in July 2020 that it would join the Arms Trade Treaty and subsequently deposited its instrument of accession, becoming a state-party." It contrasts this with the United States, which had withdrawn its signature and is therefore not a State Party.

China’s National People’s Congress has recently agreed to join the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) despite initial skepticism when it was first passed in 2013. ... China claims its move to join the 104 other countries who are already signatories to the ATT is a major step in “safeguarding international and regional peace and stability.”

The piece says the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress voted on June 20, 2020 to approve the decision to join the Arms Trade Treaty, marking that China’s accession process had basically been completed.

A salient fact overlooked in the legal commentary is that China acceded to the Arms Trade Treaty (‘ATT’) on 6 July 2020. ... China is subject to the rules of the ATT, according to which a State Party must not transfer conventional arms ...

Based on widely reported treaty practice, a state becomes a "State Party" to a multilateral treaty when the treaty enters into force for that state, which follows the deposit of its instrument of ratification or accession. China deposited its instrument of accession to the Arms Trade Treaty in July 2020, and the treaty entered into force for China in October 2020, so it has been considered a State Party to the ATT since 2020 in legal and diplomatic usage.

Reporting on the decision, the article says that China “decided to join the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a move widely interpreted as China’s firm support for multilateralism and global arms control regime.” It continues that the move came after the Trump administration announced withdrawal of the U.S. signature, and describes Beijing’s step as one that will make China “an official party to the ATT after it completes relevant legal procedures.” The language emphasizes an intention and process rather than specifying the exact date when China legally became a State Party.