Your Excellency President Obama,

Your Excellency Secretary General Ban Ki-moon,

Dear Colleagues,

I appreciate President Obama’s initiative in convening this peacekeeping summit.

Peace is the common aspiration and lofty goal shared by all mankind. It was for the purpose of securing peace that the UN peacekeeping operations came into being. Now as an important means of upholding world peace and security, these peacekeeping operations bring confidence to areas beset by conflict and hope to the local people who are its victims.

As we speak, people in many conflict-ridden places around the world are still suffering. They have a deep yearning for peace, higher hopes for the United Nations, and greater expectations for its peacekeeping operations. The following is what China stands for:

— The basic principles of peacekeeping should be strictly followed. The Charter of the United Nations and the Hammarskjold principles – the fundamental guidelines for peacekeeping operations – should continue to be respected. Security Council resolutions should be implemented in their entirety, allowing no country to act beyond their mandate. Peacekeeping missions should be carried out according to local situation and the will of the local people. Exit strategies need to be formulated and executed in a timely manner.

— The peacekeeping system needs to be improved. Peacekeeping operations should be aligned in sequence with preventive diplomacy and peace-building, and at the same time coordinate with political mediation, rule of law, national reconciliation, and improvement of living standards. The UN Security Council should be more attentive to the opinions of those parties directly involved, and the views of those countries which are contributing troops. A better coordinated peacekeeping partnership should be established between the United Nations and relevant regional organizations.

— Rapid response needs to be enhanced. Fast deployment of peacekeeping operations can bring better prospects of peace and win more time to save lives. China welcomes the United Nations’ establishment of a new Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System, and calls on member states to join the system.

— Greater support and help should be given to Africa. Africa has the greatest need for peacekeeping. In the long run, the international community and the United Nations should support African countries in increasing their own capacity to maintain peace and stability, so that African issues can be addressed in ways that are adapted to African needs.

Dear Colleagues,

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has taken part in peacekeeping operations for 25 years. We are a principal contributor of troops and funds to these operations. To support the improvement and strengthening of UN peacekeeping operations, I hereby announce that:

First, China will join the new UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System, and has thus decided to take the lead in setting up a permanent peacekeeping police squad and building a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops.

Second, China will give favorable consideration to UN requests for more Chinese engineering troops and transport and medical staff to take part in UN peacekeeping operations.

Third, in the coming five years, China will train 2,000 peacekeepers from other countries, and carry out 10 mine clearance assistance programs which will include the provision of training and equipment.

Fourth, in the coming five years, China will provide free military aid of US$100 million to the African Union to support the building of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.

Fifth, China will send its first peacekeeping helicopter squad to UN peacekeeping operations in Africa.

Sixth, part of the China-UN peace and development fund will be used to support UN peacekeeping operations.

Dear Colleagues,

Eighteen Chinese men and women in uniform have laid down their lives in UN peacekeeping operations. Five years ago, we lost He Zhihong, a peacekeeping policewoman in the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti. She left a four-year-old son and elderly parents. She once wrote: “In this vast world, I may be just like a small feather. But even so, I want this feather to carry the wish for peace.”

This was her wish, and it is also China’s commitment to peace.

Thank you.