A key force for maintaining world peace-a summary of the 30th anniversary of the Chinese military's participation in UN peacekeeping operations

  Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 18 -

Title: Maintenance key force for world peace - Summary anniversary of Chinese troops to participate in UN peacekeeping operations 30

  Xinhua News Agency reporters Li Yun and Zhang Minmi

  75 years ago, the Chinese people and the people of the world ushered in the great victory of the Anti-Japanese War and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Soon after the war, the United Nations came into being and became the most extensive and authoritative international intergovernmental cooperation organization.

  Thirty years ago, China sent five military observers to the UN Truce Supervision Organization for the first time.

Since then, the Chinese military's participation in the UN peacekeeping operations has been opened.

  30 years in a flash.

On September 18, China released the white paper "Chinese Army Participating in UN Peacekeeping Operations for 30 Years" for the first time, declaring to the world in the form of important government documents: China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of international order The Chinese military has always been a staunch force for safeguarding world peace.

Unwavering support for UN peacekeeping operations

  Over the past 30 years, the Chinese military has been earnestly practicing the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, firmly supporting the leading role of the United Nations in peacekeeping operations, and supporting the United Nations in building a more complete peacekeeping operation system through reform.

  The Chinese peacekeeping forces strictly follow the basic principles of peacekeeping operations of "consent, neutrality, non-self-defense, or performance of authorization not to use force", fully respect the right of the government of the country concerned to independently choose political, economic and social systems, and respect the people of the country concerned All peacekeeping officers and soldiers were awarded the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal for their rights to survival and development, achieving zero violations and zero repatriation, demonstrating the image of a teacher of peace, justice, and civilization.

  Monitoring the ceasefire is the initial function of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, and it is vital to maintaining the ceasefire agreement, reducing conflicts, and maintaining regional peace.

A large number of Chinese peacekeeping military professionals monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement by the parties to the conflict through patrols, observations, and reports on the front lines of the conflict.

  Stabilizing the situation is a prerequisite for advancing the peace process. The security situation in some peacekeeping mission areas is severe and various conflicts continue. Chinese peacekeeping officers and soldiers have stabilized the security situation through armed patrols, isolation of conflicts, and cessation of violence and violent riots, so as to gain opportunities for peace and for life Win time.

  Protecting civilians, especially protecting the safety of vulnerable groups such as women, children, refugees and displaced persons, is a manifestation of the justice of peacekeeping operations.

Chinese peacekeeping officers and soldiers not only provide direct security for local civilians through vigilance and escort operations, but also prevent conflicts, reduce conflicts, and resolve conflicts.

  Security guarding is an important task to ensure the safety of the facilities and personnel of the United Nations mission.

The security environment of UN peacekeeping operations has become increasingly complex, and the number of casualties among UN peacekeepers has continued to rise.

The Chinese military dispatched peacekeeping and security forces to protect the personnel and facilities of the mission.

  Support and support forces such as engineering, transportation, medical care, and helicopters are important supports for peacekeeping operations, and are currently the main body of peacekeeping forces dispatched by the Chinese military.

Chinese peacekeeping officers and soldiers have provided a strong guarantee for peacekeeping missions to effectively perform their mandates with their excellent quality and superb skills.

Take on the international responsibilities of a big country

  Now in many corners of the world, there are Chinese peacekeepers who are fighting for opportunities for peace and time for lives.

  In terms of the number of troops sent, China ranks first in the number of permanent members of the five permanent members. It provides more than 2,500 peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations throughout the year, distributed in 9 peacekeeping mission areas.

The types of peacekeepers have also expanded from a single military observer that year to multiple types of units such as infantry, engineering, transportation, medical, security, and helicopters.

More and more Chinese military personnel are taking up intermediate and senior positions in UN peacekeeping operations, participating in the decision-making, planning, and organization and guidance of peacekeeping operations.

The "Chinese Blue Helmet" has become a solid line of defense to safeguard the bottom line of human civilization.

  In 30 years, China has become the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations.

When the UN peacekeeping operations are faced with numerous difficulties, some member states have been in arrears with UN dues and assessments for a long time, causing the UN to fall into financial difficulties.

At the same time, China’s contributions to peacekeeping have increased year by year, ranking second in the amount of contributions.

  China has also established a 10-year "China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund" with a total value of US$1 billion, part of which is used to support United Nations peacekeeping operations.

China has told the world with practical actions that as a major country, China faithfully fulfills its international obligations and spares no effort to contain and mitigate crises and conflicts.

  In the process of participating in the UN peacekeeping operations, the Chinese military not only strives to provide the host country with a safe and stable environment, but also actively participates in social reconstruction, improvement of people’s livelihood, humanitarian assistance, etc., sowing great love and friendship on the land where poverty and war are frequent, for The people in suffering light up hope and become the messenger of China's "harmony culture" and the disseminator of China's peaceful development concept.

  Over the past 30 years, Chinese peacekeeping forces have participated in more than 20 United Nations peacekeeping operations, patrolling and escorting, ceasefire supervision, negotiation and investigation... they have effectively maintained security and stability in the mission area and promoted regional peace and reconstruction.

China sent more than 40,000 peacekeeping troops; built and repaired more than 17,000 kilometers of roads and more than 300 bridges; cleared more than 14,000 landmines and various unexploded objects; transported more than 1.2 million tons of various materials and equipment, and the total transportation mileage was 1,300 More than 10,000 kilometers; more than 246,000 patients were received.

Unfortunately, 16 Chinese peacekeepers died, and dozens of them were disabled due to illness.

  The number and types of peacekeepers dispatched by the Chinese military have developed in an all-round way, and the functions and tasks undertaken by them have continued to expand.

Chinese peacekeepers and soldiers have traveled to more than 20 countries and regions including Cambodia, Congo (Kinshasa), Liberia, Sudan, Lebanon, Cyprus, South Sudan, and Mali.

Continue to make new contributions to world peace

  In September 2015, President Xi Jinping attended the UN peacekeeping summit and made six commitments to support UN peacekeeping operations.

Over the past five years, the Chinese government and military have implemented relevant commitments with practical actions, promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and continued to increase participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

  ——Continuously provide strength support.

Since 2015, the Chinese military has carried forward the tradition and advantages of dispatching support detachments to participate in peacekeeping operations, and dispatched more than 7,000 engineers, medical personnel, helicopters and other support forces.

In September 2017, the Chinese military completed the registration with the United Nations for 28 units of 8,000-strong peacekeeping standby force with 10 categories of professional forces.

In October 2018, 13 peacekeeping stand-by units were promoted to second-level stand-by units through the UN inspection and evaluation.

From 2019 to 2020, six peacekeeping stand-by units have been promoted from level two to level three.

At present, the Chinese peacekeeping standby force has become the force with the largest number, the most complete variety, and the most sophisticated equipment in the new UN peacekeeping capability standby mechanism.

  ——Pragmatically promote co-construction and sharing.

Hand in hand and win-win cooperation is one of the basic concepts of the Chinese military's participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

Since 2015, the Chinese military has organized 20 batches of professional trainings, including protection of civilians, senior officials of peacekeeping missions, and peacekeeping instructors, and trained more than 1,500 peacekeepers for more than 60 countries; actively carried out demining assistance projects, and trained more than 300 deminers for many countries; Promote the implementation of US$100 million free military assistance to the African Union, and support the construction of the African Standing Army and the rapid response force for crisis response.

  —— Actively contribute to the Chinese plan.

China is the country with the largest number of peacekeeping personnel among the permanent members of the Security Council, and it is also the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations.

Since 2015, the Chinese military has participated extensively in the deliberations and policy formulation of United Nations peacekeeping issues, organized the "United Nations Peacekeeping Engineer Unit Manual" and "United Nations Peacekeeping Military Intelligence Manual" expert editing international conferences, participated in the United Nations peacekeeping infantry, security, aviation and other guidance manuals Compile and revise; provide advice and suggestions on the reform of UN peacekeeping operations, improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, and ensure the safety of peacekeepers, and contribute Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom to the development of peacekeeping operations.