Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday put forward five points to strengthen and improve UN peacekeeping operations.
Speaking at the UN High-Level Meeting on "Action for Peacekeeping" at the UN Headquarters in New York, Wang noted the importance of the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative launched by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and reaffirmed China's support for the Declaration of Shared Commitment of UN Peacekeeping.
The foreign minister said member states must adhere to the UN Charter, and commit to stronger engagement to advance political solutions to conflict.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the UN High-Level Meeting on "Action for Peacekeeping" at the UN Headquarters in New York, September 25, 2018. /Photo from China's Foreign Ministry
Wang added that the authorization of peacekeeping should be realistic and feasible, and precise measures be taken. Member states should provide timely resources to peacekeeping operations that match their mandates, he said, while also monitoring and improving efficiency.
He stressed that peacekeeping operations must create a safe and stable environment for the countries concerned, help strengthen capacity building, and lay the foundation for poverty eradication, sustainable development and long-term stability.
Wang went on to say that troop-contributing and budget-contributing countries should form a joint force. For example, the African Union-led peace support operation is a positive practice of African countries to solve problems in Africa. China supports the UN in providing sustainable and predictable financial support for the AU.
He reaffirmed that China is a staunch supporter and active participant in UN peacekeeping, noting that the country fully implements the major initiatives announced by President Xi Jinping at the UN peacekeeping summit in 2015 and has achieved positive results.
The "Action for Peacekeeping" initiative was proposed by Guterres in March to appeal to all parties to jointly address the challenges facing UN peacekeeping, advocating improved peacekeeping in terms of personnel, political partnership, performance, construction and equality. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of UN peacekeeping.