2018年CRI Chinese "blue helmets" show China's readiness to shoulder responsibility

 

Tuesday has marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of UN peacekeeping activities.

"The world is so big and faces so many problems. The international community expects China to express its voice, to present its proposals. China will not be absent from these efforts. We must show our sympathy to those suffering through difficulty and wars. We must show our sense of responsibility in action. China will always be open to the world and reach out to those in need."

As part of a Leaders' Summit on U.N. Peacekeeping three years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's commitment to international peacekeeping.

At that same meeting, Xi Jinping also announced China's participation¹ in the UN Peacekeeping Capability² Readiness System, while also pledging to build a permanent Chinese-UN peacekeeping force of 8-thousand for the system.

At the same time, Chinese authorities also promised more engineers, as well as transportation and medical personnel toward peacekeeping operations.

China undertook its first UN peacekeeping operation back in 1990. 

Since then, its soldiers have left footprints in Africa's fight against Ebola, in South Sudan's military conflict and the war-torn zones in Mali...

So far, over 35-thousand Chinese troops have put on the 'blue helmet' in 24 different major peacekeeping operations.

18 of them also sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

Today, China is the second-largest financial contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget. 

China also provides around 25-hundred troops and police officers, who are currently on the ground in around a dozen peacekeeping missions worldwide.

Speaking ahead of this year's peacekeeping anniversary, the UN released a short video to particularly honor China's contribution.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also taken time to specifically laud³ Chinese peacekeepers.

"China is today a very important part of our peacekeeping operation. And that's even more important when we are facing tremendous challenges. We see the role of China not only in the direct presence of the Chinese peacekeepers but also in China's contribution to the discussions we have all these years. We ought to improve peacekeeping to make peacekeeping more focused to make peacekeeping safer for the peacekeepers, and also more effective for the protection of civilians⁴, and to every more solid international cooperation in supporting peacekeeping."

Since 1948, more than a million personnel from over 110 countries have taken part in 71 UN peacekeeping operations.

Some 37-hundred have lost their lives in an attempt to fulfill⁵ the United Nations' mandate⁶ of peace and stability.

1 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

2 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

3 laud   

n.颂歌；v.赞美

参考例句：

• Kathy was very pleased to have graduated cum laud in her class.凯西在班上以优等成绩毕业，她为此而非常高兴。
• We laud him a warmhearted man.我们称赞他是个热心人。

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

6 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。