President,

UN peacekeeping operations serve as a vital instrument for maintaining international peace and security. As a staunch supporter of peacekeeping operations, a major troop-contributing country, and co-chair of the "Group of Friends on the Safety and Security of UN Peacekeepers," China attaches great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers. China welcomes the fact that the Security Council has just unanimously adopted Resolution 2823, and highly commends the efforts made by Denmark and Pakistan, the co-penholders, in steering this resolution forward. This collective effort demonstrates the unity of the Council and the universal support of the international community.

Currently, the international security environment remains intricate and volatile. Peacekeepers are facing increasingly severe traditional and non-traditional security threats. In particular, a succession of recent attacks has resulted in casualties among peacekeepers, yet progress in investigation and accountability remains far from satisfactory. It is therefore both necessary and urgent for the Council to take further actions. Any deliberate attack against peacekeepers constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and relevant Council resolutions. China supports the adoption and effective implementation of this resolution to send a clear message to the international community that the safety of peacekeepers is inviolable and that perpetrators must be brought to justice. China pays its highest tribute to all UN personnel serving in peacekeeping operations and to those who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the cause of world peace.

President,

China actively participates in UN peacekeeping operations. We are the second largest financial contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget and the largest troop-contributing country among the permanent members of the Security Council. To date, China has deployed over 50,000 peacekeepers to 29 UN peacekeeping operations authorized by the Council. We have established an 8,000-strong Peacekeeping Standby Force and taken the lead in forming the world's first Standing Peacekeeping Police Force. More than 20 Chinese peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice in peacekeeping operations, including a female peacekeeping police officer. We stand ready to sustain close coordination with the Secretariat, host countries, and other troop- and police-contributing countries to advance the implementation of this resolution, strengthen the safety and security defense line for the "blue helmets" through concrete actions, and make greater contributions to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Thank you, President.