Commentary: Blue Helmets help safeguard root of human beings' common destiny

The United Nations on Friday marked the International Day of UN Peacekeepers with wreath laying and medal ceremonies to honor the memory of the peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace, while officials paid tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage.

This year's International Day of UN Peacekeepers falls during the 70th anniversary of the world body, offering a chance to honor the invaluable contribution of the Blue Helmets to the proud history of the organization, which started its first peacekeeping operation in 1948.

UN peacekeeping has given life to the UN Charter's aim "to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message for the International Day. "Through years of struggle and sacrifice, the iconic Blue Helmet has earned its place as a symbol of hope to millions of people living in war-ravaged lands."

Despite growing threats, there are currently more than 107,000 uniformed peacekeepers from 122 troop- and police-contributing countries serving in 16 missions.

However, their service does not come without costs. More than 3, 300 women and men serving the organization as peacekeepers have lost their lives since the UN's first operation 67 years ago.

Over the past decades, the United Nations has established 71 peacekeeping operations. More than 1 million people have served as peacekeepers, helping countries gain independence, supporting historic elections, protecting civilians, disarming hundreds of thousands of ex-combatants, establishing the rule of law, promoting human rights and creating conditions for refugees and displaced persons to return home.

The international community has good reason to be proud of these accomplishments as they are conducive to protecting the root of human beings' common destiny. A peaceful and tranquil life is the shared yearning of people from all countries in the world, and also the aim of the UN peacekeepers.

Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools the United Nations has available to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. Under relevant resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, Blue Helmets provide security and political and peacebuilding support to help countries make the difficult, early transition from conflict to peace.

UN peacekeeping operations help restore normal life and put development course back on the right track as peace is the only basis for development, prosperity and happiness in the globe. As is known to all, a chance for development is very slim in a country which is plunged into conflict, let alone development and prosperity.

Indeed, in today's globalized world, human beings are sharing a community of common destiny.

A conflict does not only make life much harder for the people caught in the fighting, but also knows no borders. Take South Sudan as an example, its conflict has spilled over to neighboring countries, such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

While fighting takes place in Yemen, a regional battle is taking shape as countries across the region firm up their coalitions and draw lines in the sand, setting in motion a conflict with rippling effects that lie far beyond Yemen's borders.

Peacekeeping has unique strengths, including legitimacy, burden sharing, and an ability to deploy and sustain troops and police from around the globe, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to advance multidimensional mandates.

Of them, burden sharing is one of the most vivid examples for the world's joint efforts to build a community of common destiny -- with necessary UN coordination, all other members of the international community earmark funds and dispatch troops and police to help people in conflict areas back into peaceful life.

China is most eye-catching among these helping hands in the UN peacekeeking operations.

The Chinese military is present in nine of the 16 UN peacekeeping operations worldwide. The Chinese peacekeeping troops are mainly composed of infantry, engineers, guards, transportation troops, medical troops, military observers and staff officers. By the end of 2015, the total number of Chinese peacekeepers will increase to 3,100.

China, a developing country as it is, is now the sixth largest contributor of UN peacekeeping funding among all member states, and the largest among developing countries. China is also the largest contributor of peacekeepers among the five permanent members of the Security Council.

Through their painstaking efforts, the Chinese Blue Berets are gaining high praise worldwide, representing an international acknowledgment of the country's great endeavor to build a community of common destiny in the world.

Peace, hard won in a conflict-worn country, is the great award for the United Nations and its peacekeepers with support from all UN member states. Endite