China has earnestly fulfilled its financial obligations to the United Nations, said Yu Hong, Permanent Representative of the Chinese Delegation to the Fifth Committee of the 62nd General Assembly. In 2007, both assessed contributions and peacekeeping assessments for China rose significantly. Total assessments for China amounted to $270 million, a 42 percent increase year on year. Moreover, China is expected to share 2.67 percent of the UN's total regular budget during the 2007-  09 period, an obvious increase compared to the amount received by most other member states. In spite of the heavy financial burden and practical difficulties, China has fully met its financial obligations to the United Nations and paid various assessments in time as a responsible member state.

A major contributor to world peace

As a permanent member of the Security Council, China has always firmly supported the UN in playing a major role in maintaining world peace and security. China has been active in peacekeeping operations organized by the UN since the 1990s. As of October 2007, China has participated in 17 operations with 8,883 peacekeepers deployed the world over, the second largest in terms of the number of troops among permanent member states of the Security Council, after France.

At the First Chinese Army Peacekeeping Work Conference held in June 2007, Shi Zhengbo, Director of China's Peacekeeping Affairs Office under the Ministry of Defense, said Chinese peacekeepers had constructed over 7,300 km of roads and 200 bridges, transported more than 120,000 personnel and materials of over 260,000 tons, covering a length of 4.1 million km, cleared over 7,600 explosives, and treated over 36,000 patients. During the peacekeeping missions, three Chinese officers and five soldiers lost their lives and several dozen were injured.

On November 23, the first deployment of Chinese peacekeeping forces arrived in Sudan, along with 135 officers, and was sent to Dafur.

Ongoing humanitarian assistance

Over the past year, frequent natural disasters have caused enormous human and economic losses to the governments and peoples of affected countries. The Chinese Government, however, has actively joined international emergency programs to provide disaster relief, financial aid and rescue assistance in rapid response actions.

When a strong tropical cyclone devastated Bangladesh in November 2007, the Chinese Government donated $1 million for emergency relief and assistance following rescue operations. China, along with the international community, made positive responses with the unprecedented global humanitarian emergency relief effort after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. In the wake of the catastrophe, the Chinese Government immediately launched its emergency mechanism and contributed disaster relief worth of more than 600 million yuan ($81.7 million), the largest ever contribution in China's history. In 2005, China supplied a $5 million relief fund after Hurricane Katrina hit the United States, the largest-ever emergency relief operation given by a developing nation in the world.

China, a developing country, is no stranger to natural disasters. The country is hit by various kinds of natural disasters every year, so it is the perennial task for governments at all levels to prepare for and reduce subsequent damages, through which a special disaster relief mechanism has been gradually shaped and this proved effective in the 2004 tsunami catastrophe. China's International Search and Rescue Team, founded in 2004, has strengthened the international capability in terms of overseas emergency rescue operations. A 44-member rescue team was sent to assist Indonesian medical staff after an earthquake measuring 6.2 in magnitude struck the country.

Prioritizing peaceful dialogue

China plays a positive role in resolving international disputes and regional conflicts. China is keen to solve the Dafur problem by peaceful means and has spared unremitting effort in this task. China's constructive efforts were rewarded when a document on the second phase action for the implementation of the Joint Statement was publicized after several rounds of Six Party Talks, marking a milestone in the realization of the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization.

Faced by the challenges of global warming and environmental pollution, China has been active to take on its due responsibilities as a developing country. In June 2007, China released its first state policy on climate change. Now China endeavors to build up an emergency management mechanism for natural disasters such as floods, droughts or storms caused by global warming.