by Xinhua writer Gui Tao
LONDON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday said that UN peacekeeping should be improved with better guidance and coordination as the second largest peacekeeping funding contributor of UN peacekeeping renewed its commitment and pledges.
FRESH PLEDGES
China is devoted to improving its peacekeeping capabilities and developing international cooperation, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan told the UN peacekeeping defense ministerial meeting in London.
"In support of UN's initiative of setting up a 'vanguard brigade' of 4,000 rapid deployable troops, China will make part of its 8,000 rapid deployable troops meet the Level II readiness requirement of 60 days," he told the one-day meeting.
Last September, Chinese President Xi Jinping made an array of commitments to the international community at the leaders' summit on peacekeeping.
Speaking at the one-day meeting, Chang reaffirmed the commitment of his country, the largest troop contributor among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, to participating in and supporting UN peacekeeping operations.
Over the past 26 years, China has sent over 33,000 officers and soldiers to UN peacekeeping missions. Around 2,500 Chinese peacekeepers are conducting peacekeeping missions in South Sudan, Mali and seven other task zones around the world.
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