Distinguished General Xiong Guangkai,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all I would like to extend my sincere congratulations on convening of this seminar and wish it a success.

We have entered the 21st century, with international situations undergoing fundamental and complicated changes. The lofty cause of promoting the progress of human beings faces both historic opportunities and unprecedented challenges. Looking around the world, forces that make for peace are on the rise and conditions favorable to development keep being improved. Peace, stability, development and prosperity are the common aspirations of people all over the world.

At the same time, various global threats and challenges are erupting one after another. While traditional security issues like ethnic conflicts and territorial disputes have yet to be tackled, non-traditional ones including terrorism, cross-border crimes and outbreaks of disease are getting increasingly serious. The issue of uneven development is sharpening and the gap between the North and the South is widening. In the course of globalization, the above-mentioned threats and challenges interweave with each other, greatly adding to the difficulties in finding solutions. The Iraqi war also discloses that in the international community there exist deep inconsistency and differences on how to cope with those threats.

We have studied for a long period of time how to effectively tackle various global threats and challenges, but it seems that up to now we have not found any very effective countermeasure. I believe that without universal security the security of a single country can only be transient and without common development the development of a single country will not be long lasting. To realize the peace and development of human beings, we must adhere to multilateralism, strengthen collective actions and promote international cooperation, especially enhancing the role and authority of the United Nations constantly.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Established on the ruins caused by World War Two, the United Nations shoulders the primary responsibility of maintaining world peace and holds the core vision of collective security. After twists and turns over 60 years, the UN has made outstanding contributions to safeguarding world peace and security. In particular, the 59 UN peacekeeping operations ranging from UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) to the Stability Mission in Haiti have scored especially notable achievements.

Peacekeeping operations come up after series of crisis experienced by the UN and evolve gradually in practice. Although they are not embedded into the UN Charter, they completely comply with the purposes and principles of the Charter and have become one of the most important and effective ways to exercise multilateralism and build collective security in the field of international peace and security. To those millions of people who are plagued by conflicts, "blue helmet" is just the symbol of peace, and sometimes even represents their most urgent hope. Compared with the tens of billion-dollar losses caused by conflicts each year, the input of peacekeeping operations is limited, but the dividend of peace generated is considerable. Therefore, it is of great significance to further strengthen the peace activities of the UN.

Currently, it is true that the UN peacekeeping operations face new situations and challenges that I think are mainly reflected in the following two groups of contradictions:

First, contradiction between expectation and reality. At present the UN is carrying out 16 peacekeeping tasks, with the peacekeeping staff totaling more than 70,000, and this year's budget will reach US$4 billion. However, the demands for new peacekeeping operations are still on the rise, and the expectations of all parties concerned on those operations keep growing, which on the one hand proves the success of UN peacekeeping activities but on the other hand further reveals the organization's inadequacy in staff number and fund. There is an opinion that the UN peacekeeping operations have plunged into the brink of strength not equaling to the will and its capacity to make quick response has been depleted. Although exaggerated, it should draw our attention.

Second, contradiction between tasks and capacity. The changes in the nature of threats to security and conflicts and the diversification of conflict causes have extended both the form and content of UN peacekeeping operations, from truce and withdrawal supervision to multiple levels and fields including assisting political transition, economic reconstruction, return of refugees, humanitarian assistance and election supervision and disarming. Under such circumstances, great efforts should be made to improve or strengthen the peacekeeping operations of the UN in areas of idea innovation, comprehensive planning and rapid deployment and logistics supply and even the discipline and language proficiency of peacekeeping staff.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

To further empower the UN peacekeeping operations, it not only requires the member states to reiterate their commitments to collective action and multilateralism and mobilize necessary political, financial and human resources but also to keep the operations advancing with the times and conduct reasonable and necessary reforms. I think the key is to addressing the following two groups of relations:

First, the relations between inheriting and reform. The basic framework and principles of UN peacekeeping operations are well-grounded and should continue to be followed. Focus should be put on the following three points: firstly, the key to solving problems is in the hands of parties involved in the conflict. The UN peacekeeping operations should give priority to their political advantages and comprehensive functions instead of just focusing on military functions. Secondly, selective practice or double standards should be avoided when deploying peacekeeping operations. Thirdly, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and other rules governing peacekeeping operations should be observed. Of course, the peacekeeping operations should also follow the requirements of new situations, especially improving comprehensive planning, enhancing operational efficiency, building up quick response capacity and strengthening training programs. In this regard, the Brahimi Report raises a number of constructive suggestions that should continue to be carefully considered by the member states. Consensus should be expanded and the suggestions should be put into practice in a timely manner instead of staying on paper forever. We also look forward to seeing strategic ideas and suggestions to be raised by the High-Level Panel on UN Reform.

Second, the relations between leading and cooperative roles. The UN Security Council undertakes the primary responsibility of maintaining world peace and security and has the final say in peacekeeping operations, but it is impossible for the Security Council to be capable of doing everything. It is necessary to establish a new partnership featured by the following three characteristics: firstly, the Security Council should, on the basis of the resolution No.1353, further strengthen communications with the Secretariat and troop-contributing countries. Secondly, the Security Council should enhance coordination with other agencies of the UN and give full play to their relative advantages and encourage their enthusiasm, especially in the field of eliminating the root causes of conflict. Thirdly, the UN should collaborate with regional organizations and make full use of their role on the prerequisite of guaranteeing the leading role of the Security Council. In addition, great attention should also be paid to the coordination among the military, police and civil agencies involved in peacekeeping operations. I would also like to emphasize that the major demands for peacekeeping activities arise from Africa. The UN peacekeeping operations should pay closer attention to that continent and the Security Council should strengthen guidance and support for African regional organizations.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

China follows the independent foreign policy of peace. We always uphold that the role of the United Nations should be strengthened, support the organization to play a leading role in addressing major issues concerning world peace and security and actively participate in the peacekeeping operations

Since the end of the 1980s China has took part in 15 UN peacekeeping operations and sent more than 3,000 person-times of peacekeeping soldiers, police and civil officers. In 2002 we participated in the standby arrangement mechanism of UN peacekeeping operations. In 2003 China dispatched engineers and medical groups to join the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), which marks the first time for China to send integrated non-combat force to participate in the UN peacekeeping operations in Africa. It is also in 2003 that China sent the largest number to date of peacekeeping staff to the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). This year we dispatched a 125-person riot police to Haiti, which is the first time for China to participate in the UN peacekeeping operations in the western hemisphere and to send integrated police unit to join peacekeeping operations.

At present almost 1,000 Chinese peacekeeping staff are carrying out peacekeeping missions in 12 task regions. With strict discipline and high quality, they have made contributions to the UN peacekeeping activities. They are good sons and daughters of China and the United Nations as well. Here I would like to give you an example. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a Uruguayan soldier who does not belong to the task area of the Chinese peacekeeping force writes down a sentence at the back of his badge which reads "if I get injured, please send me to the Chinese hospital", which indicates complete trust in the Chinese peacekeeping medical group.

Here I would like to reiterate that the Chinese government will continue to participate in the UN peacekeeping operations in a larger area and make greater contributions to world peace and security and strengthening the role of UN.

In May this year, a late Chinese peacekeeping soldier Fu Qingli was conferred the Hammarskjold Medal. This 26-year-old man devoted his precious life to the peace process of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I want to end my speech by citing one of the sentences he once said: "we come for peace".

Thank you.