China is committed to standing firmly on the side of human progress as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order, the country’s top envoy to the United Nations said on Thursday.
“We stand ready to work with all countries to uphold the international system with the UN at its core, promote peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, champion the common values of humanity, and build a community with a shared future for humanity,” Ambassador Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the UN, said.
Speaking at a reception hosted by the Chinese mission to celebrate the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Fu noted that when multilateralism runs into headwinds, China firmly supports the UN in playing its central role in international affairs.
Fu said China is the second-largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget and contributes more peacekeeping troops than any other permanent member of the Security Council.
He noted that with conflicts continuing around the world, China has practiced a “unique Chinese approach” to resolving hotspot crises, promoting peace talks and political settlement.
Fu also highlighted China’s four global initiatives covering development, security, civilization and governance, saying they offer China’s wisdom and solutions for addressing common challenges facing humanity.
“Increasingly, people see China’s development not simply as China’s own success, but as new opportunities for the world — what many now describe as ‘China Opportunity 2.0’,” he said.
Major General Yan Wenjing, China’s military advisor to the UN, said that the PLA is a special force “born of the people, supported by the people, and fighting for the people”.
He affirmed the military is willing and able to support UN peacekeeping operations and contribute more public security products worldwide.
Describing the PLA as a peace-loving army “willing and able” to contribute more public security products for the whole world, Yan also delivered a firm defense message.
He said the military has grown from “nothing to everything, small to big, weak to strong” and remains an army of “unshakeable will” to safeguard national sovereignty, integrity of territory at any cost.
Also speaking at the reception, UN Under-Secretary-General Atul Khare warmly congratulated the PLA on its 99th anniversary, noting China has deployed over 50,000 personnel for decades to high-risk environments.
“We owe collectively a deep debt of gratitude to our colleagues and their families for their dedication and sacrifice in the peacekeeping missions,” Khare said.
Khare thanked Chinese medical personnel deployed to UN missions for their professionalism in delivering high-quality care in resource-limited, high-risk settings.
He also appreciated China’s pledge at the Berlin peacekeeping ministerial meeting in May last year to advance technology-enabled operations using new technologies and green energy solutions in field missions, welcoming its steadfast commitment to fostering a positive legacy.
More than 200 guests, including UN officials and military and police advisors from member states, attended the reception.