Expert Interpretation: The number and type of Chinese military peacekeeping officers and soldiers have developed across
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 18 (Reporters Li Yun and Zhang Mimi) The white paper "The Chinese Army has participated in UN peacekeeping operations for 30 years" was released on the 18th.
He Xing, an associate professor at the School of International Relations of the National University of Defense Technology and a senior instructor from the Center for Peacekeeping Affairs of the Ministry of National Defense, told Xinhua News Agency reporters that the Chinese military has participated in the development of UN peacekeeping operations. He introduced that the number and types of Chinese military peacekeepers have developed in an all-round way, and they have become the United Nations. A key force in peacekeeping operations.
"In the early years, the peacekeeping officers and soldiers sent by the Chinese army were mainly single military observers." He Xing said that since the Chinese army sent 5 military observers to the UN Truce Supervision Organization in 1990, it has dispatched 530 military observers in the following 10 years. Observers mainly perform tasks such as patrols, observations, and supervision of the ceasefire.
The Chinese army first sent a formed unit to participate in a UN peacekeeping operation in 1992 when it sent a peacekeeping engineering team composed of 400 officers and soldiers to the UN Provisional Authority in Cambodia.
With the development and change of the situation and tasks, the UN's demand for peacekeeping resources has greatly increased, and the Chinese military has gradually increased its support for UN peacekeeping operations.
In 2001, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense established the Peacekeeping Affairs Office.
In 2002, China formally joined the UN peacekeeping standby arrangements mechanism.
Since 2013, the Chinese military has begun to dispatch security forces such as guards and infantry to participate in UN peacekeeping operations.
The Chinese military's participation in UN peacekeeping operations has expanded from supporting tasks such as engineering, transportation, and medical care to stabilizing the situation, protecting civilians, and security guards.
In the past five years, the Chinese military has embarked on a new journey of participating in UN peacekeeping operations with a more active attitude and has continuously made historical breakthroughs.
The composition of Chinese peacekeeping forces has expanded from a single service to multiple services and arms. The type of peacekeeping missions has transformed from support to comprehensive and multi-functional. The objectives of peacekeeping operations have extended from stopping armed conflicts to building lasting peace, and peacekeeping capabilities have been further improved.
"Since 2015, the Chinese army has sent 6 batches of peacekeeping infantry battalions to South Sudan. In 2017, it sent the first peacekeeping helicopter unit to Darfur, Sudan, and became an important military aviation force in the peacekeeping mission. At present, the Chinese army has a total of 2,521 officers and soldiers. Performing tasks in the eight peacekeeping mission areas and the UN headquarters is a key element and key force of the UN peacekeeping operations." He Xing said.
In September 2017, the Chinese military completed the registration of an 8,000-person peacekeeping standby force with the United Nations, including 28 units of 10 types of professional forces.
In October 2018, 13 peacekeeping standby units were promoted to second-level standby units.
Since then, another 6 peacekeeping stand-by units have been promoted from level two to level three.
China has become the country with the largest number of UN peacekeeping standby forces and the most complete types of units.
In June 2018, the Peacekeeping Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defense of China was reorganized into the Peacekeeping Affairs Center of the Ministry of National Defense of China, opening a new situation in the peacekeeping work of the Chinese military.
He Xing introduced that in the past 30 years, the number and types of peacekeeping officers and soldiers sent by the Chinese military have developed in an all-round way, from the initial military observers to the formation of engineer units, medical units, transportation units, helicopter units, guard units, infantry battalions, and staff members. Military officers, military observers, contract officers and other peacekeeping military professionals; undertake tasks ranging from monitoring the ceasefire to stabilizing the situation, protecting civilians, security guards, supporting guarantees, etc., and actively assisting in humanitarian rescue and extensive participation in post-war reconstruction , Is not only the guardian of peace, but also the spreader of friendship.
"In the past 30 years, the Chinese military has participated in 25 UN peacekeeping operations and dispatched more than 40,000 peacekeeping officers and soldiers. It is the largest troop-contributing country in the permanent members of the Security Council." He Xing said.
In the new era, the Chinese military will keep in mind its original intention and mission, continue to support UN peacekeeping operations, fulfill its solemn commitment to safeguard peace, and make new and greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.