China in firm support of UN peacekeeping missions

BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese scholar said here Tuesday that China has sent out more than 3,000 troops and policemen to United Nations peacekeeping missions since the late 1980s, reflecting its firm support of the UN's role in maintaining world peace and security.

"China has contributed the largest number of troops to UN peacekeeping operations among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council," said Yang Mingjie, a Chinese researcher in international relations.

On Monday, China sent its third peacekeeping riot police contingent to Haiti.

Yang, who is an assistant to the president of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said the Chinese civilian police, engineers and medical staff dispatched to East Timor, Liberia, Congo (D.R.) and Haiti are all professionals badly needed in UN peacekeeping operations.

"It shows that China strives to make due contributions to harmony in the international community with actual deeds. It also displays China as a responsible big country," said Yang.

Chinese peacekeepers have won extensive accolades because of their strict discipline and high work efficiency. In January 2005, Chinese peacekeeping riot police in Haiti were awarded a UN peace medal for their outstanding performance in the crisis-torn country, the highest honor granted by the UN to peacekeeping missions.

An AFP news report on Feb. 17 gave an account of the friendly Chinese riot police faithfully performing their duties.

China consistently supports the United Nations to play an active role in maintaining world peace and security in accordance with the UN Charter, said Yang.

China sent out its first blue-helmet troop, a military engineering team, to Cambodia in 1992. The Ministry of National Defense manages a peacekeeping affairs office to coordinate and manage Chinese troops' participation in UN peacekeeping missions.

Source: Xinhua