Chinese Peacekeepers in action

　　Peacekeeping operations have traditionally involved the deployment of primarily military personnel from a number of countries under the mandate of UN Security Council, to help control and resolve armed conflict between hostile parties.

　　In June 1948, the Security Council decided to establish a supervision organization to supervise a fragile truce in the first Arab-Israeli war. Two weeks later, a group of 36 unarmed military observers arrived in the Middle East as the first United Nations peacekeepers.

　　In the past 55 years, 59,221 individuals, including 47,095 soldiers and civilian polices, 4,060 civil servants and 8,066 local personnel, have participated in 55 UN peacekeeping operations. So far 1,789 military and civilian peacekeepers have been killed in peacekeeping operation and 581 died in accidents and hostile actions.

　　 First, military observer missions, composed of relatively a small number of unarmed officers, will carry out such tasks as monitoring ceasefires, verifying troops withdrawals or execution of the related agreement.

　　 Secondly, peacekeeping forces, armed with light weapons for self-defense, will be deployed to carry out such tasks as ceasefire observation, so as to ease the tension and create conditions for the settlement of disputes.

　　Since the late 1980s the peacekeeping operations have become more complicated. In addition to traditional missions, such as observation of ceasefire, they have been assigned with the tasks of organizing and supervising elections, maintaining social order, settlement of refuges, creating safe environment for humanitarian emergency relief, disarming the parties in conflict, mine-sweeping operations and reconstruction of countries. 　　

　　2.Neutrality. Peacekeeping operations are temporary measures taken according to the UN Charter. They shouldn't violate any related parties' rights or requirements or standpoints.

　　3.No force. UN peacekeeping forces have traditionally been only lightly armed and they are only allowed to use arms for self-defense. UN military observers and civilian police are normally unarmed.

　　The Security Council, not the secretary general, grants the mandate to peacekeeping operations. According to the UN Charter the Security Council shoulders the responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. The Security Council shall decide the scale, the purpose and the timetable of peacekeeping operations. The five permanent members of the Security Council, namely China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, have veto power to any peacekeeping operation. 　　

　　The 15-member Security Council authorizes the deployment of peacekeeping operation, and determines its mandate. Such decisions require at least nine votes in favor and are subject to veto by any of the Council's five permanent members. The secretary general makes recommendations on how the operation should be carried out, and reports on its progress; the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) is responsible for day-to-day execution direction, management and logistical support for UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.

　　Military observers are still members of their country's troops while they are under the command of the UN peacekeeping operations. 　　

　　The UN set up a standby arrangement system (UNSAS) in 1994 for peacekeeping operations. The Standby system is based upon commitments by the member states to contribute specified resources within agreed response time for UN peacekeeping operations.

　　According to pre-arrangements made through negotiations between the United Nations and individual member states. The resources agreed upon remain on "standby" in their home country, where necessary training is conducted to fulfil specified task or functions in accordance with the United Nations guidelines. When necessary, they will be rapidly deployed upon the request of the secretary general and approved by the member states.

　　So far 73 countries have joined the standby system. 23 countries are at Level 1. 12 countries are at Level 2. 38 countries are at Level 3.

　　China's Foreign Ministry informed the UN in February 2002 that China agreed to join the Level 1 of UNSAS. In October 2002 the Central Military Commission approved the establishment of Chinese standby elements for UN peacekeeping operation. An engineering battalion of 525 members, a medical element of 25 members and two transporting companies of 160 members are now on standby to join UN peacekeeping operations at any time.