The Blue Helmet and an African Girl - The Mission and Dedication of Chinese Peacekeepers

Peace is the common aspiration of humankind. UN peacekeeping is an important means for preserving peace and security in contemporary world. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China earnestly fulfills a major country's responsibilities and obligations by firmly supporting and actively participating in UN peacekeeping missions. China's Blue Helmets is a peacekeeping force with courage and valor, and the protagonist in many memorable stories of peace defending missions.

In 2015, China dispatched an infantry battalion to South Sudan, the first Chinese combat unit undertaking peacekeeping mission overseas. Shortly after deployment to the mission area, a brawl broke out in the No. 1 &3 refugee camps near the barracks of the UN peacekeeping force. After receiving the order from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Zhang Yong, Commander of the Third Company of the Peacekeeping Battalion, rushed to the scene with his soldiers of the advance team. When they arrived, hundreds of refugees were fighting with sticks and machetes. A big crowd of refugees were watching and shouting, and more and more hot-headed refugees were gathering at the scene. The situation was extremely chaotic.

　　Zhang Yong (first from right) setting up the defense of the barracks.

Under that circumstance, reckless intervention would not stop the conflict, but might cause more casualties. With cool-headed observation of the fighting, Zhang Yong quickly divided the riot squad into two groups. The first group, armed with weapons, set up a defense perimeter outside the crowd. The second group, holding riot control equipment in their hands and braving the waving machetes and stones coming in all directions, threw themselves into the crowd. Though separated, neither side was willing to give up the fight, and the stone-throwing continued.

All of a sudden, an African girl at the age of three or four was pushed into the center of the conflict. She was clearly frightened, as her body was shaking. She was squatting on the ground, with her head buried in hands. Stones as big as goose eggs kept flying over her head, and scared her into crying. Zhang Yong rushed forward to protect the little girl, while putting his own safety at risk. Stones hit his body, and his right leg started bleeding. Nevertheless, Zhang didn't back up and continued to protect the little girl with his body.

The yelling of the crowd quieted, and the stone-throwing stopped. Zhang Yong raised his head and found that everyone was looking at him. Perhaps because they were moved by the heroic deed of this Chinese peacekeeper, risking his own life to protect the little girl, or simply impressed by the valor of the Chinese soldier, the conflict was resolved in such an unexpected way. With the stones and sticks dropped to the ground, the crowd slowly dispersed. A young African woman ran toward Zhang Yong. She took the little girl into her arms, and kept bowing to Zhang Yong to show her gratitude.

Zhang Yong telling his experience of protecting the Southern Sudanese girl in an interview.

When recalling the accident, Zhang Yong said, "As a father, I did not think much before rushing to the girl." The peacekeeping experience showed him the cruelty of war, but more importantly, made him proud of being a Chinese soldier.

Like Zhang Yong, many Chinese peacekeepers are carrying out their mission of defending peace in different part of the world, and some have even made the ultimate sacrifice. Since 1989 when China first sent personnel to UN peacekeeping operations, China has dispatched over 50,000 peacekeepers, more than any other permanent members of the Security Council. China has participated in nearly 30 UN peacekeeping operations, and 24 service members and policemen have laid down their lives on foreign land to preserve peace. The Blue Helmets, with their commitment and dedication, have embodied China's aspiration for peace and development, and demonstrated China's contribution to world peace and development.

The Chinese peacekeepers in the military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China