The Growing Role of China in UN Peacekeeping Operations

Abstract

This article discusses the growing role of China in UN peacekeeping operations since 1989. First, the reasons for the non-engagement of China after its admission to the UN and its Security Council in 1971 are described to stress the difference of the Chinese behavior after the end of the Cold War. Second, the increasing Chinese activity in UN peacekeeping is shown by describing China’s gradually changing behavior in three areas: voting in the Security Council, personnel contributions to peacekeeping operations and financial contributions to the UN peacekeeping budget. In the end, the article suggests that China’s growing role in UN PKO could be understood as an important part of China’s peaceful rise policy.

Keywords

• China
• United Nations
• Security Council
• peacekeeping
• humanitarian intervention
• conflict