At an exhibition on “The Chinese Army to Protect the World Peace” held in New York, Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, Atul Khare, commended China for currently deploying a total of 2,508 uniformed personnel, including 70 women, to 8 of the UN’s current peacekeeping missions, including UNMISS, UNIFIL, and MINUSMA. Khare also noted China has contributed approximately 5.8 million dollars to UN Peacekeeping through the Peace and Security Trust Fund since 2017.
Thank you, Ambassador MA Zhaoxu,
Excellency, distinguished delegates, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, and friends of peacekeeping,
xīn nián kuài lè (sseen nee-ahn kwhy luh) [Happy New Year!]
It is a pleasure for me to be here with you today for the unveiling of this photo exhibition. I thank Ambassador MA Zhaoxu for the honour of inviting me to say a few brief words on this special occasion.
As you all know, this week marks the beginning of a prosperous New Year, the year of the Pig. The year of the pig is acknowledged as one of luck, joy, overall good fortune, wealth, and honesty. During this year, the Pig’s noble attributes of kindness, generosity and compelling positivity rub off on the whole of the earth. It is a time of peace, prosperity and so much more!
In celebrating the year of the pig, I would like to take the opportunity to highlight the critical contributions made by your country. I recall that during my time as SRSG for Timor-Leste, I greatly appreciated China’s strong support.
[I appointed several Chinese Military Liaison Officers to serve in UNMIT’s Joint Operations Centre, where they were in charge of analyzing security and political developments and trends. I also selected a Chinese police officer, Zeping Guan, to serve as my UNPol Chief of Staff, making him the highest ranking Chinese UNPol officer in any UN peacekeeping mission at the time.]
Today, China continues to be recognized as an essential partner across the spectrum of UN peacekeeping. China currently deploys a total of 2,508 uniformed personnel, including 70 women, to 8 of the UN’s current peacekeeping missions, including UNMISS, UNIFIL, and MINUSMA. China also holds a senior military post in the field: Maj Gen Xiaojun Wang is Force Commander in MINURSO.
Furthermore, China has contributed approximately 5.8 million dollars to UN Peacekeeping through the Peace and Security Trust Fund since 2017 of which significant part has been allocated to the Improving Security Peacekeeping Project that resulted in the Santos Cruz Report on improving the security of UN peacekeepers. This contribution has been crucial for the development and improvement of the performance of UN Peacekeeping and the overall reduction of peacekeeping fatalities.
China has also supported two Medical projects involving health risk assessment for high-risk Missions and UN Buddy First Aid Master Trainer Courses for TCCs. Both of these are key to strengthening the duty of care.
China is in the unique position of being not only a permanent member of the Security Council as well as the 10th largest contributor of uniformed personnel – but is also the 2nd largest financial contributor to peacekeeping budget. No other country holds the honour of such triple responsibility.
Excellencies,
The top priority of the Department of Operational Support, which I have the privilege to lead, is to help our international operations succeed with rapid, effective, efficient and responsible support.
We are deeply conscious of the responsibilities we carry in peacekeeping. We are expected to operate in complex and austere environments and deploy our uniformed and civilian peacekeepers in insecure and precarious conditions. Despite these challenges, the demand for UN Peacekeeping to bring stability and peace continues to increase. If we are to successfully implement the mandate given to us, we must continue to work together.
I would like to end by thanking China for its continued support in a variety of UN peacekeeping operations. The improvement and strengthening of our peacekeeping operations would not be possible without the support from Member States, like China.
Gong Xi Fa Cai (goong ssee fah tsign)! [Wishing you a prosperous year!]
Xièxie (syeh-syeh) [Thank you.]
Background:
China’s general Contribution to UN PKO
Ranked number 10 out of 124 troop and police contributing countries, China currently deploys a total of 2508 uniformed personnel, including 70 females, to 8 peacekeeping missions:
MINURSO (13); MINUSMA (396); MONUSCO (231); UNAMID (370); UNFICYP (6); UNIFIL (419); UNMISS (1067); and UNTSO (6).
At present China holds 1 senior military post in the field:
Maj Gen Xiaojun Wang is Force Commander
