China formally participated in the Class-A stand-by arrangement mechanism for the United Nations peacekeeping operations in 2002. Up to now, nearly 2,000 Chinese officers and men are carrying out peacekeeping missions in ten mission areas of the UN. In the past ten years, China has become the greatest troop-contributing country among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the Chinese peacekeeping troops wearing blue UN helmets have been working in a great number of war-torn and poverty-stricken areas to make contributions to maintaining world peace and regional stability.
1. This is a commitment of a great power
Participating in the mechanism for the UN peacekeeping operations is no other than an embodiment of China’s courage to assume international security responsibility.
When China formally participated in the Class-A stand-by arrangement mechanism for the UN peacekeeping operations in 2002, it promised to sent one UN standard engineering construction battalion, one UN standard level-II hospital and two UN standard transportation companies to mission areas designated by the UN within 90 days upon receipt of the UN’s request for troops.
The Chinese peacekeeping force to Congo (K) set out in April 2003. From 1992 to 1993, China had dispatched a 400-member peacekeeping engineer detachment to the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). Ten years later, the Chinese military once again dispatched an organic troop unit to safeguard world peace at the request of the UN.
2. Once devoted to the cause of world peace, China will not stop but only walk faster
In April, 2003, China dispatched an engineer detachment and a medical detachment to the UN Mission in Congo (K).
In December 2003, China dispatched an engineer detachment, a transportation detachment and a medical detachment to the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
In April 2006, China dispatched an engineer detachment to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and sent an additional medical detachment in 2007.
In November 2007, China dispatched a multifunctional engineer detachment to the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)…
Starting from scratch, the Chinese military has dispatched a total of 22,000 persons/times peacekeeping officers and men in the past decade. They have carried out various missions including engineering support, mine clearing and explosive removing, material transportation, medical and humanitarian aid in ten mission areas of the UN. Nine of them sacrificed for world peace.
3. Chinese “blue helmets” drive peacekeeping mechanism of UN and bring security support to world peace
“Chinese soldiers will never give up missions!” This is promise the Chinese “blue helmets” have made. They were sweeping mines under the constant fire in the conflict zone of Lebanon and Israel, revamping roads under the harassment of insects in the tropical jungle of Sudan, fulfilling transportation in the complicated environment throughout Liberia, providing medical services for civilian people under epidemic diseases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, restoring infrastructures for the newly-founded South Sudan, and the list goes on and on. As an important force of the UN's peacekeeping operation, Chinese soldiers have won global reputation.
4. Decade-long peacekeeping tasks have quietly changed Chinese soldiers
The transcontinental transportation, actual-combat environments and multiple situations have greatly elevated Chinese military's long-range command and control capability, long-range delivery capability, foreign affairs handling capability, field survival capability and emergency-responding capability. The peacekeeping operations have cultivated a multitude of excellent military talents with international vision and actual combat experience. Having taken peacekeeping operation as the first step, Chinese military has appeared on several international stages, including joint drill and joint training, naval escort and overseas rescue.
