The United Nations held a ceremony on May 28, a day before the
International Day of UN Peacekeepers, to commemorate the 93
peacekeepers who died last year. Representatives from 38 countries
received a UN medal on their behalf to honor their services.
Assistant UN Secretary-General for peacekeeping Hedi Annabi
presented the UN Peacekeeping medals to representatives from 38
nations in the Dag Hammerskjoeld Library Auditorium. On behalf of
the United Nations, Annabi paid tribute to the 93 UN peacekeepers
who died last year. Chinese military officer Fu Qingli was among
those honored with the peacekeeping medal. He lost his life in a UN
peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. China
has participated in 15 UN peacekeeping missions around the
world.
Wang Guangya, Permanent Representative to UN, said, "China is
one of the founding members of the UN. It is also a permanent
member of the UN. China will continue to support the UN and
actively participate in UN peacekeeping missions."
More than 2,300 military officers and 250 civilian police
officers have been assigned to various UN missions. Five Chinese
military officers have sacrificed their lives during UN
peacekeeping missions since 1990.
The Dag Hammarskjoeld Medal was set up in 2002 to honor
personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty during UN
peacekeeping missions. Dag Hammarskjoeld was the second UN
Secretary-General. He died in a plane crash in 1961 during a
peacekeeping mission in Congo.
(CCTV.com May 29, 2004)