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SCIO briefing on white paper 'China's Armed Forces: 30 Years of UN Peacekeeping Operations'

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Global Times:

The West has been accusing China of using its participation in peacekeeping operations to expand its military strength. As mentioned in the white paper, China will continue to increase its support and participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations. Does it mean that China will send more forces to carry out overseas missions? Do you have any plan for participating in combat missions? Besides, I'd like to take this opportunity to ask a question on a hot issue. The U.S. and Taiwan recently have had frequent interactions, including U.S. Under Secretary of State Keith Krach's visit to Taiwan yesterday. What is your comment? What is the response of the PLA? Thank you.

Ren Guoqiang:

With regard to your first question, the People's Republic of China has steadfastly followed a road of peaceful development and resolutely safeguarded its sovereignty and security as well as promoted world peace and stability since its founding more than 70 years ago. In the face of the once-in-a-century transformations unfolding in our world, China's great journey of development over some 70 years, together with the participation of the Chinese army in U.N. peacekeeping operations for 30 years, fully demonstrates that China has all along played its part in promoting world peace and development and upholding the international order. Entering the new era, the Chinese military is actively striving to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and is willing to provide strategic support for world peace and development.

First, we will continue to fully fulfill the important pledges made by President Xi Jinping at the U.N. peacekeeping summit in 2015 to dispatch more peacekeepers to U.N. operations and provide personnel and equipment within our capacity to support U.N. and regional organizations in their peacekeeping missions.

Second, we will continue to actively participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations, support reasonable and necessary reform of U.N. peacekeeping operations, actively respond to the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, improve the efficiency of peacekeeping operations and better play the role of U.N. peacekeeping operations.

Third, we will continue to enhance international cooperation in peacekeeping. U.N. peacekeeping operations in themselves are a model and outcome of international cooperation. We will further conduct peacekeeping exchanges and cooperation with international and regional organizations and countries and peoples committed to the cause of world peace based on the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. We will enhance mutual understanding, exchange experiences and practices and strengthen practical cooperation to jointly promote the sound and sustainable development of U.N. peacekeeping operations through visits of delegations, exchanges of experts, joint exercises and training, and personnel training.

As for your second question, I would like to respond by saying the PLA's Eastern Theater Command conducts a real-combat exercise near the Taiwan Strait starting from today, a legitimate and necessary move aimed at coping with the current situation in the Taiwan Strait to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and allows no outside interference. The United States and the Democratic Progressive Party authority in Taiwan have recently intensified their collusion, often creating trouble. Trying to use Taiwan to contain China or relying on foreign strength to build itself up is wishful thinking and doomed to fail. Those who play with fire will get burnt. The PLA has the firm will, abundant confidence, and enough capabilities to thwart any interference by foreign forces or "Taiwan independence" activities and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.