Global experts call for stronger peacekeeping, regional cooperation at Beijing Xiangshan Forum

Experts from around the globe emphasized the importance of strengthening peacekeeping missions and promoting regional cooperation under multilateral frameworks amid rising regional conflicts and global uncertainty, at the just-concluded 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which closed Friday.

The three-day event gathered over 1,800 participants, including official delegates, experts, scholars, and observers from more than 100 countries, regions, and international organizations. This year’s theme focused on "Upholding International Order and Promoting Peaceful Development."

Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, stressed that UN peacekeeping missions remain a critical shield for civilians and ceasefires worldwide, with member state support playing a vital role.

"We have about 60,000 peacekeepers deployed in 11 missions and without the support of member states, there's nothing we would be able to do, actually the peacekeepers wouldn't even exist. In spite of all the challenges that we are currently facing, every single day they are protecting hundreds of thousands of civilians. And every single day they are preventing ceasefire from collapsing. They help build state capacities and in the case of Chinese peacekeepers, there are a number of things that they do which are very important," he said.

Lacroix also highlighted China's critical role in supporting UN peacekeeping missions.

"China is the second largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping support. In terms of contribution in personnel, we have about 1,800 Chinese peacekeepers from the military, from the police. We also have civilian colleagues from China. So, just to say that it is critically important that China is really one of the major supporters to UN peacekeeping," he said.

Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the bloc is preparing to strengthen cooperation with China in key sectors.

"In terms of undertaking practical areas of cooperation, like natural disasters, medicines, a wide range of issues that we would work together," he said.

Since its launch in 2006, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum has evolved into a major international platform for defense and security dialogue.

Global experts call for stronger peacekeeping, regional cooperation at Beijing Xiangshan Forum

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday urged efforts to carry out search and rescue operations in a scientific manner after a landslide struck a county in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, leaving people trapped and missing.

The landslide occurred at 9:08 Friday in Hanjia Sub-district along a section of the Wujiang River in Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, burying several residential buildings at the foot of the mountain. Ten people had been rescued as of 14:00, according to local authorities.

In his instructions, Xi stressed the need for scientific search and rescue operations to prevent secondary disasters, and called for proper medical treatment for the injured and appropriate arrangements for the aftermath. He also urged relevant departments to identify the cause of the disaster, draw lessons from this case and conduct thorough inspections to eliminate geological hazards. Xi emphasized that all regions and relevant departments must further fulfill their safety responsibilities, strengthen monitoring, early warning and risk inspection systems, and ensure that all work is carried out in a concrete and meticulous manner, so as to effectively protect the lives and property of the people.

The Ministry of Natural Resources on Friday raised its geological disaster emergency response to Level II from Level III and dispatched a working team to the site.

A four-tier emergency response system is in place for geological disasters, with Level I being the most severe.

Xi urges scientific search and rescue efforts after Chongqing landslide