Rights group blasts China's 'irresponsible' arms trade

"China is fast emerging as one of the world's biggest, most secretive and irresponsible arms exporters," Amnesty International said in a press release to accompany a report Sunday on the global arms trade.

The report accused China of helping to sustain brutal conflicts, criminal violence and other grave rights violations around the world, and indicated the possible involvement of Western companies in making some of the weapons.

"China describes its approach to arms export licensing as 'cautious and responsible', yet the reality couldn't be further from the truth," said Helen Hughes, Amnesty International's arms control researcher.