During a two-day "second round" meeting held Tuesday and Wednesday in Beijing between China and officials of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), both sides agreed that China's membership would advance international non-proliferation efforts, foreign ministry Liu Jianchao said.

"China has been very positive to further conducting exchanges and dialogue with the MTCR," Liu said.

During the discussions "China reiterated its willingness to join the MTCR," he added.

The experts "expressed that the MTCR would give positive consideration to China's application."

The MTCR is an informal and voluntary association of 33 countries which share the goals of non-proliferation of unmanned delivery systems for weapons of mass destruction.

It also seeks to coordinate national export licensing efforts aimed at preventing their proliferation

"The focus of the discussion was on the further development of relations between China and the MTCR and on export control law enforcement measures. The discussions were held in an in-depth manner," Liu said.

Last week China joined the nuclear suppliers group, a separate grouping that comes within the scope of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, a UN-sponsored treaty aimed at curbing the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

WAR.WIRE