Contributing Greater Chinese Strength to World Peace
■ He Xing
May 29 of this year marks the 24th International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. At present, geopolitical competition is intensifying, the security situation in United Nations peacekeeping mission areas is grave, peacekeeping personnel and their camps are repeatedly subjected to attack, and peacekeeping operations face severe challenges. China's proposed global governance initiatives emphasize five core concepts: upholding sovereign equality, observing the rule of international law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach (以人为本), and emphasizing action orientation. These concepts are in keeping with the universal aspirations of the peoples of all countries for peace and security, and provide important guidance and useful inspiration for United Nations peacekeeping operations to adapt to the new situation and achieve transformation and upgrading.
Upholding sovereign equality to consolidate the foundation of peacekeeping operations. China has consistently advocated strict adherence to the basic principles of peacekeeping operations and insists on the United Nations Charter and the Hammarskjöld three principles of peacekeeping—"impartiality, consent, and self-defense." In peacekeeping operations, Chinese forces have always respected the territorial integrity and political independence of sovereign states, maintained an impartial stance, accurately implemented Security Council mandates, and served as a staunch defender of the principle of sovereign equality. China resolutely opposes any form of interference in internal affairs, excessive use of force, or acts of partiality and injustice, and has played a constructive role in returning peacekeeping operations to their fundamental principles.
Observing the rule of international law to safeguard the credibility of peacekeeping operations. At present, the authority and impartiality of peacekeeping operations are being challenged and even face the risk of being instrumentalized. China maintains that peacekeeping operations must be grounded in the principles of international law, advocates that rules governing peacekeeping operations be jointly formulated and jointly observed by all countries, and opposes the double standard of "use it when it suits, discard it when it doesn't." China has actively dispatched experts to chair or participate in the drafting and revision of operational guidelines and other documents in multiple professional areas of peacekeeping, contributing wisdom on peacekeeping reform, improving the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, and ensuring the safety of peacekeeping personnel. China supports using reform to drive host countries, troop-contributing countries, and financial-contributing countries to build a partnership that prioritizes righteousness while also attending to interests (以义为先、义利兼顾), effectively safeguarding the essential character and credibility of peacekeeping operations as an international public security good.
Practicing multilateralism to uphold the authority of peacekeeping operations. Hegemonism and unilateralism are on the rise, and the multilateralism centered on the United Nations faces serious challenges. China has actively responded to cooperative mechanisms advocated by the United Nations and deepened peacekeeping exchanges and cooperation with relevant countries and international and regional organizations. In recent years, China has developed a series of international peacekeeping brands such as "Shared Destiny" (共同命运), "Shared Mission" (共同使命), and "Shared Vision" (共同愿景); hosted a series of professional training programs including the United Nations International Training Course for Female Peacekeepers and the United Nations Peacekeeping UAV Training Course; and through concrete actions has supported the representativeness of Global South countries in peacekeeping operations, upholding the legitimacy and authority of the United Nations-centered multilateralism and its peacekeeping operations.
Advocating a people-centered approach to deepen the popular foundation of peacekeeping operations. In peacekeeping mission areas, Chinese forces carry forward the traditional Chinese virtue of "the benevolent love others" (仁者爱人), adhere to the spirit of humanitarianism, and efficiently carry out tasks including stabilizing the situation, mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal, protection of civilians, and medical rescue. These people-centered actions bring tangible security to local populations, effectively inspire the motivation and enthusiasm of the people to continuously support peacekeeping and pursue peace, win broad social recognition for peacekeeping operations, and lay a solid popular foundation for achieving lasting peace.
Emphasizing action orientation to serve the overall situation of peaceful development. United Nations peacekeeping operations should focus on security affairs, create a safe and stable political environment for host countries, respect and preserve their indigenous political, economic, and social ecology, and use cooperation to pursue peace, ensure security, and promote development. In peacekeeping operations, Chinese forces actively participate in humanitarian relief, livelihood development, and social reconstruction, provide numerous high-quality public service goods to host countries, persist in using development to promote peace, and strive to enable local populations to enjoy the dividends of peaceful development.
Marching out for peace, bearing responsibility for the world. Since Chinese forces first participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations in 1990, China has cumulatively carried out 26 peacekeeping mission tasks and dispatched more than 50,000 peacekeeping officers and soldiers, with a presence spanning more than 20 countries and regions. As the largest troop-contributing country among the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the second-largest contributor to the United Nations peacekeeping assessment, China will continue to be guided by its global governance initiatives, further actively support and participate in United Nations peace operations, and work together with all parties to make unremitting efforts to maintain international peace and security, contributing greater Chinese strength.
(The author is affiliated with the School of Foreign Languages, National University of Defense Technology.)