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China urges better guidance, coordination in UN peacekeeping

Xinhua, September 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

China on Thursday said that UN peacekeeping should be improved with better guidance and coordination as the second largest peacekeeping funding contributor of UN peacekeeping renewed its support and commitment.

China is devoted to improving its peacekeeping capabilities and developing international cooperation, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan told the ongoing UN peacekeeping defense ministerial meeting.

"In support of UN's initiative of setting up a 'vanguard brigade' of 4,000 rapid deployable troops, China will make part of its 8,000 rapid deployable troops meet the Level II readiness requirement of 60 days," he told the one-day meeting.

Last September, Chinese President Xi Jinping made an array of commitments to the international community at the leaders' summit on peacekeeping.

Speaking at the one-day meeting, Chang reaffirmed the commitment of his country, the largest troop contributor among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, to participating in and supporting UN peacekeeping operations.

But the senior officer also stressed that to meet new challenges arising in changing conditions, it is imperative that UN should provide better guidance to improve peacekeeping and all parties concerned should enhance coordination to make peacekeeping more effective.

Chang called on all parties concerned to strengthen capacity building to improve peacekeeping.

The minister stressed that in carrying out rapid deployment of peacekeeping operations, the UN and related parties "should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the main role of host countries concerned."

He also underscored that it should be reaffirmed that protection of civilians is the primary responsibility of governments and parties to conflict of host countries, and countries refrain from conducting peacekeeping in an abusive way.

The UN should continue to pursue peacekeeping reform, streamline deployment procedures, increase efficiency, improve field and logistic support and enhance safety and security of peacekeepers, he told the meeting.

The defense ministerial meeting is a follow-up event of the the leaders' summit on peacekeeping which was convened in the United States last year. Endit