UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on member states to actively join the UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System, pledging China's readiness to fulfill the promise of multilateralism and improving peacekeeping operations.
"Fast deployment of peacekeeping operations can give peace more chance. China supports the implementation of the secretary-general's 'Action for Peacekeeping' initiative and calls on member states to actively join the UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told the side event on peacekeeping capacity building co-hosted by Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan and China at the UN headquarters in New York.
"The world is faced with more challenges and uncertainties. As such, people across countries have a stronger yearning for peace, higher hopes for the United Nations and greater expectations for the peacekeeping operations," he said.
"At the same time, peacekeeping operations face a more complex and dangerous environment and challenges. Capacity building is the key to strengthening peacekeeping operations as it bears on the actual effect of peacekeeping operations and should therefore be given due attention by member states," he noted.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China is a major troop contributor and the second largest fund contributor to peacekeeping operations. It is both a staunch supporter for and important participant in the UN peacekeeping operations, said the envoy.
Noting that China will hold a debate on "United Nations peacekeeping operations: Better capacity building, more safety and security" during its presidency of the Security Council in March, Zhang said that "China is ready to join hands with all peace-loving countries in continuing our contributions to fulfilling the promise of multilateralism and improving peacekeeping operations."
