Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2016 | Page 98

Global Security and Intelligence Studies
was donated to the OAU Peace Fund (Rothberg 2015). China’s rationale was to show
its full support for peacekeeping efforts by Africans themselves, as well as to express
its admiration for the organization’s continued maintenance of peace and stability in
the continent. China’s support of the OAU has been regular and generous, as well
as varied in terms of funds and equipment. In 2003 and 2005, respectively, China
donated $300,000 and $400,000 to the AU as an expression of its commitment to
African peacekeeping efforts (Agubamah 2014). There is a marked increase in China’s
donations to African peacekeeping efforts when one takes into account its 1999 and
2000 donations of $100,000 and $200,000 respectively (Chau 2007). It has since 1990
participated in UN Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO) several of them in African
countries. It is currently, or has been, involved in the following UN Peacekeeping
Operations:
1. Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC, established in 1999) with
China supplying 218 troops, and 12 military observers;
2. Ivory coast (UNOCL, established in 2003) with China supplying
seven military observers;
3. Liberia (UNMIL, established in 2003) with China supplying 565
soldiers, 18 police, and three military observers;
4. Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE, established in 2000) with China
supplying seven military observers; and
5. Western Sahara (MINURSO established in 1991) with China
supplying 13 military observers.
In China’s overall peacekeeping role in Africa, Chinese troops, or military
observers are accordingly involved in humanitarian assistance, protection of human
rights, national security reform, national police training, formation and restructuring
of militaries, as well as functions of disarmament, demobilization, repatriation,
resettlement, and reintegration (DDRRR). These functions are quite the opposite of the
negative effects some of its arms transfers are having or have had on civil strife within
these same countries where Chinese troops, police, or observers are operating.
Chinese contributions to peacekeeping in Africa are steady, consistent, and
expanding. For example in the DRC it contributed 218 out of about 1,600 troops, in
Liberia 565 out of about 14,000 troops, and in Ethiopia and Eritrea seven out of the
202 military observers. Most of China’s peacekeeping personnel are military troops
with expertise in various tasks and functions. While many play a defensive role of UN
installations, personnel, and civilians, others have expertise in engineering, logistics,
and health care. Those with engineering skills are often engaged in the construction
of roads, bridges, camps, and digging of wells for water. Most of the troops that China
contributes to peacekeeping are engineers, transportation experts, and medical staff.
In the DRC, 175 of the 200 Chinese peace-keepers were engineers, in addition to 40
92