- Title: CHINA: China may increase peacekeeping involvement, U.N. official says
- Date: 22nd November 2009
- Summary: CHANGPING COUNTY, BEIJING, CHINA (NOVEMBER 21, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHINESE U.N. PEACEKEEPING SOLDIERS DOING MINE DETECTING PRACTICE SOLDIERS STANDING NEXT TO BULLDOZERS SOLDIER STANDING NEXT TO BULLDOZERS VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS PRACTICING MINE DEACTIVATING SOLDIER STANDING NEXT TO CORDON VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS PRACTICING MINE DEACTIVATING MINE EXPLODING ON FIELD S
- Embargoed: 7th December 2009 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: International Relations,Defence / Military
- Reuters ID: LVAY8TQKWYBV7HRMKF2H6QYMVPW
- Story Text: China may become more involved in peacekeeping missions abroad, a senior U.N. official said on Friday (November 20) in Beijing.
Such missions have given China, which has not been in an overseas conflict for three decades, a channel for diplomatic outreach and military experience as the People's Liberation Army modernises.
China has sent more than 14,000 peacekeepers, mostly military observers, engineers and medics, to U.N. peacekeeping operations in the last 20 years. Around 2,000 Chinese are presently deployed.
That number could grow, said Alain Le Roy, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.
"Are they considering to increase? The answer is 'yes'. They have told me at the highest level that they have considered to continue what they have done these last years, to steadily increase their participation. Yes, they consider. The final decisions have not been made, but they clearly consider increasing their participation," Alain Le Roy, U.N. Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, told reporters.
Le Roy said China is the top troop contributor among the five permanent members of the Security Council, but ranks 15th out of all countries that contribute to peacekeeping operations.
It is the seventh largest financial contributor to operations, he added.
The troops in Changping County, who held exercises on Saturday (November 21), will be deployed for U.N. peacekeeping missions in the future. An exact time has not been set.
As China's economic muscle has given it greater clout in the United Nations, China has experimented with peacekeeping activities.
Kui Yanwei, deputy director for Peacekeeping Affairs at the National Defense Ministry, said that China may consider stepping up its participation in response to more calls from the international community.
"If the United Nations invites us, we will take into consideration the requirements, the reaction of the people and the situation of our troops before making a decision. If we get an invitation, we will make suggestions to the government and military," Kui said.
China sent naval ships to the Gulf of Aden last winter to protect commercial vessels against Somali pirates, and has now indicated it would further cooperate with NATO patrols there.
In July 2009, a 100-member team of Chinese soldiers left for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for an eight-month U.N. peacekeeping operation, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency. The soldiers formed the first batch of China's tenth peace-keeping team to the DRC since 2003.
Domestic media has paid a lot of attention to China's peacekeeping work in Haiti, where it sent police units.
The United States has floated the idea of Chinese support in Afghanistan, but Kui said China can only participate in peacekeeping operations organised by the U.N.
Kui said China's training centre will also cooperate with other foreign troops on peacekeeping missions.
"We do have such plans. The training centre is set up to provide training internally and externally, and maintain cooperation with foreign troops in peacekeeping missions, education and research" Kui said.
China's engagement in peacekeeping and conflict resolution can help build a positive image abroad and reassure the global community about its peaceful intentions, researchers have said.
Some analysts believe that in the long-term, China may seize its chance to balance Western influence by gradually but more firmly establishing its status as a great power. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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