China's contribution to the UN's peacekeeping operations shows its commitment to peace, security and stability around the world, said Edmond Mulet, assistant secretary-general for UN peacekeeping operations.
"There are so many conflicts now around the world, so many people in need, so many people suffering, children and women especially," Mulet told Xinhua in a recent interview. "And when you see that engagement from China, that means China is really concerned because of the plight and the problems these people are suffering."
Since 1948, UN peacekeeping operations have been helping to maintain international peace and security -- the main purpose of the organization, which is enshrined in the UN's Charter. There are currently more than 100,000 peacekeepers in 16 peacekeeping missions deployed in war-torn countries like Mali, Lebanon and Afghanistan to help build lasting peace.
China began its participation in UN peacekeeping operations in 1990. It has contributed more than 3,000 military and police personnel in UN peacekeeping missions worldwide as of June 30, 2015, according to the UN.
This year, China has concluded the deployment of its infantry battalion, the first-ever combat troops China has sent, to the UN Mission in South Sudan.
"For us, for the United Nations, for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, China's contribution is more than important. It's really extraordinary," Mulet said.
China is the largest troop contributor among the five permanent Security Council members, and it is also a financial contributor, a political contributor and a facilitator of UN peacekeeping missions, he said.
The quality of China's personnel and equipment as well as its engineering capability, infantry and medical units that the country has deployed should be recognized as well, he said.
Once heading the UN's peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Mulet recalled the days in Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital, when he worked with a Chinese police unit. He described the police unit as "efficient," "superior" and "effective."
"We were living through very difficult times in Haiti at that time," Mulet said, noting that armed urban gangs controlled Port-au-Prince, and their acts like robbing, extortion and kidnapping turned the city into a mess.
"It was thanks to the Chinese police unit that they were able to provide security, stability and bring peace back to the population of Port-au-Prince," he said.h "And when I, as the head of the mission, would request from the Chinese police unit to do a task, they would always be there. They were always on time, always punctual, always efficient," he said.
UN peacekeeping missions have been faced with much more complex challenges as the nature of conflicts has evolved, Mulet said, stressing the missions should be flexible and adaptable to cope with different circumstances.
"What we need is the quality of women and men on the ground in the field," he said.
"China has peacekeeping training centers for the troop side and also on the police side," the official said, while mentioning his visit to one of the peacekeeping training centers in Beijing in 2013.
Mulet said he was greatly impressed by the real operations on the ground, with mock scenes to show how the trainees would confront armed groups in different situations.
"As I said, the level of the professionalism, the level of capacity, training, equipment... is really outstanding," he said.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The organization was established after World War II with the mission to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Challenges still lie ahead as conflicts occur from time to time and extremism and terrorism continue to pose a serious threat to world peace and security.
