China and the UN

China consistently upholds the banner of peace, development and cooperation, pursues, as always, an independent foreign policy of peace, and persists with the development of friendly relations with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence--mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.

It is the fundamental mission and basic goal of China's diplomacy at present as well as in the years to come to safeguard the important period of strategic opportunities for China's development, to strive for a peaceful and stable international environment, an environment of neighborliness, an equal and mutually beneficial climate for cooperation and objective and positive recognition from the international community, and to facilitate the program of building a well-off society in an all-round way.

China will continue to promote world multi-polarization, democracy in international relations and diversification of the modes of development. It will steer the global economy toward the direction that is conducive to the common prosperity of all nations. Dedicated to multilateralism and a new security concept, it rejects hegemony, power politics and terrorism of all forms, thereby stepping up the establishment of a just, reasonable international order. China is set to deepen its mutually beneficial cooperation with other developing countries and safeguard their shared interests. Adhering to the principle of treating neighbors as friends and partners, it will strengthen friendly and cooperative ties with neighboring countries to deepen regional cooperation. It will further boost its relations with developed countries in the spirit of seeking broader common ground and resolving disputes in a proper manner. China will take an active part in multilateral international diplomatic activities, maintain and strengthen the authoritative and leading role of the UN and its Security Council and make constructive efforts in regional organizations. It is also poised to beef up across-the-board economic linkages and cultural exchanges with other countries, while readily protecting the lives and legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese citizens.

The Chinese Government and people are willing to commit unremitting efforts to the common cause of sustaining and promoting peace, development and progress together with all the other nations in the international community.

China and the UN

China is a founding member of the UN and holds a permanent seat on its Security Council. It is China's belief that the UN plays an irreplaceable role in international affairs. While rendering consistent support to the proposed UN reforms, China has repeatedly affirmed its position on the principle and direction of the reforms.

The Chinese Government issued the Position Paper on the UN Reforms in June 2005, coming up with a complete, systematic summarization of its stance on UN reforms in an official paper for the first time. The four-part paper gives an overall picture of China's stance on issues such as development, security, the rule of law, human rights and democracy and the strengthening of the world body.

China stresses that UN reforms should serve the interests of the entire international community. It puts development in less developed countries, especially the impoverished ones, on top of the agenda and has made suggestions in this respect. China stands for safeguarding the leading role of the Security Council and the sovereignty of developing countries. With regard to human rights, China attaches importance to national sovereignty while endorsing the Security Council's initiatives to resolve massive humanitarian crises and backs the reform of the UN's human rights agency.

Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a speech titled “Advance the Reform Process Through Democratic Consultation” at the UN Summit marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the world body on September 15, 2005. He pointed out that China stands firm in its support of UN reforms. It is ready to join hands with other UN members to promote the sound progress of the reforms so as to enable the UN to make greater contributions to world peace and development.

Participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations China is committed to, and takes an active part in, peacekeeping operations that conform to the UN Charter. It holds that these missions should earnestly abide by the purpose of the UN Charter and universally recognized peacekeeping principles. It stands for carrying out reforms in UN peacekeeping operations to further enhance its efficacy.

China filed a formal application to join the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations in September 1988. It sent five military observers to the UN Truce Supervision Organization--the world body's earliest observer mission--in April 1990, marking its first-ever participation in a UN peacekeeping operation. Between 1992 and 1993, China dispatched a regiment of 800 engineering corps in two groups to the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia, the first time it has sent regularly organized non-combat troops to a UN peacekeeping mission. To date, it has offered more than 4,100 man-hours of peacekeeping to 14 UN missions. Of these, 3,000 went into peacekeeping units, while 900 were accounted for by personnel serving as military observers and staff officers. By the end of August 2005, with 853 peacekeeping military personnel posted in nine peacekeeping missions in the Middle East, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Eritrea, Liberia and other regions, China had dispatched more peacekeeping troops than any other country holding a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Over the past 16 years, two Chinese officers and four soldiers have been killed on duty, with dozens wounded.

In addition, since the first Chinese peacekeeping police started operations in East Timor on January 12, 2000, China has sent 589 peacekeeping police personnel to seven countries and territories including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liberia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Haiti and the Sudan on peacekeeping missions. Currently, 197 Chinese peacekeeping police personnel are working on six missions.

In its participation in UN peacekeeping operations, China is guided by the following three principles that have been universally recognized in the UN for the past 50 years: gaining the approval of the country or party concerned before carrying out peacekeeping operations, keeping neutral and using force only for self-defense.