President, 

I congratulate the Republic of Korea on assuming the Presidency of the Council for this month. I also congratulate Panama on its smooth completion of its Presidency last month. China commends the Republic of Korea, Denmark, and Pakistan for jointly convening this meeting. We thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo, and Ambassador Thomas Zahneisen for their briefings. I have also listened attentively to the recommendations made by Ms. Jenna Russo.

Peace operations are an innovative practice of multilateralism and a powerful tool for the United Nations to contain conflicts and shape peace. The world today is fraught with upheavals and turmoil, regional instabilities arise thick and fast, and deficits in peace, security, and governance are growing. All these have posed unprecedented challenges to peace operations. The United Nations should not be content with the status quo in its peace efforts. Rather, we must make effective use of the ongoing independent review of peace operations, thoroughly learn from past experiences and lessons, and work together to advance the transformation, upgrading, and better quality and efficiency of peace operations. I wish to make four points.

First, we must focus on the core mandate and political objectives. Peace operations are a means, not an end. They must serve a clearly defined political process and create favorable conditions for a political solution. Peace operations are not a panacea either. The Security Council should prepare for each peace operation a clear, practical, and prioritized mandate, and make adjustments as the situation evolves. The Council should also set out a clear and feasible exit strategy for peace operations in a timely way. This strategy, however, should be primarily determined by the will of the country concerned and the situation on the ground, and should not be held hostage to the policies of any individual country or to be adopted or abandoned at will.

Second, the performance of peace operations must be fully enhanced. The efficient use of resources is the very duty of peace operations. A culture of efficiency should be promoted throughout the entire process. Effective planning is essential across areas such as logistics, finance, and procurement. Better integration of resources and reduced overlapping investments are needed to make the funds more cost-effective. Strict financial discipline must be enforced to prevent the waste of funds and ensure accountability. In procuring supplies, it is essential to broaden the supply chains and pursue greater cost-effectiveness and transparency. The success of peace operations hinges on stable, predictable, and sustainable funding. Every member state is obliged to pay its UN dues and peacekeeping assessments in full. 

Third, strengthening partnerships for peace operations. Strong support from host countries is a crucial prerequisite for the success of peace operations. Special missions must respect the sovereignty and ownership of host countries, maintain good cooperation with them, and earn the recognition of their governments and people. This will lay a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of their mandates. Troop- and police-contributing countries, host countries, the Peacebuilding Commission, and regional organizations should fulfill their respective roles, complement each other’s strengths, and collectively contribute to the effectiveness of peace operations. China supports African solutions to African issues. We look forward to the early operationalization of the framework arrangements set out in Security Council Resolution 2719 to provide sufficient, predictable, and sustainable funding for the AU-led peace operations.

Fourth, the safety and security of peacekeepers must be effectively guaranteed. In recent years, peacekeepers have faced increasingly grim security risks. The entire UN system must improve its emergency response mechanisms to minimize casualties. China supports the Secretariat and the missions in continuing to implement Council Resolution 2518 and strengthening capacity-building in areas such as situational awareness, reconnaissance, surveillance, and CASEVAC. This will provide peacekeepers with comprehensive, multi-tiered security guarantees. Attacks against peacekeepers must not go unpunished, accountability mechanisms should be put in place and improved, and host countries should be supported in their best efforts to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.

President, 

As a major troop-contributor and the second largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping. China has consistently supported UN peace operations with concrete actions. Recently, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), which emphasizes the importance of adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach, and focusing on taking real results. This Initiative offers Chinese wisdom and solutions to address the global governance deficit. Guided by the GGI, China will continue to actively support and participate in UN peace operations and work with all parties to make unremitting efforts to safeguard international peace and security.

I thank you, President.