Global Policy Forum

Qin Huasun, a high-ranking Chinese official and senior diplomat, Tuesday lauds here the role the U.N. peacekeeping operations have been playing in Africa and the world at large.

"United Nations peacekeeping operations have experienced unprecedented development, as was evidenced by the enlargements of the U.N. missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone," said Qin, vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He made the remarks at a three-day international seminar on peacekeeping in Africa, which opened here Tuesday, Qin, the former Chinese representative to the United Nations, said the U.N. peacekeepers have contributed a lot to easing and resolving regional tensions and tensions, and have thus won acclaims from the intentional community.

China has always attached importance to the U.N. peacekeeping operations, supported the U.N.'s work in the area in accordance with the U.N. Charter, he said. "In recent years, China has actively participated in U.N. peacekeeping operations and dispatched over 1,500 person/times to the U.N. missions in areas as the Middle East, Iraq-Kuwait border, Western Sahara, Ethiopia-Eritrea border, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Liberia, Cambodia, East Timor, Bosnia Herzegovina, etc.," he added.

He stressed that it has become clear that adherence to the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter and norms governing intentional relations, especially the principles of respect for sovereignty and non-interference in member states' internal affairs, is the important basis for successful peacekeeping operations.

Qin said that no matter in what way is the U.N. involved in conflicts resolution, all its actions should help maintain the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country concerned. The actions should reflect the collective will of the people of the country concerned and abide by the principles of impartiality. The peacekeepers should use force only in self-defense or with the prior consent of all parties concerned, he said.

China, he said, appreciates the contributions by the Organization of African Unity (OAU), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Economic Community of West African States ( ECOWAS) to the course of peacekeeping in Africa.

"China has all along attached importance to African issues and supported the relevant organizations and countries in their efforts to independently resolve conflicts in the region," he said.

Qin promised that as a permanent member of the Security Council, China will continue to urge the council to devote more time to discussing African issues and maintaining the region's peace and stability. Qin said the intrinsic link between peace and development, the two main themes of today's world, has been widely recognized by the international community, and if the root cause is not eliminated, sooner or later the conflicts will resurface.

"The UN should work to eliminate the root cause of the conflicts and help developing the countries, especially the African countries, to get rid of poverty and backwardness. This, and only this, will guarantee genuine lasting peace in the world," said Qin on the occasion.