By Xu Lin
BEIJING, Oct. 24 (ChinaMil) -- The 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum came to a successful conclusion on October 22. During the forum, officials, experts and scholars gathered together to provide advice and suggestions for "Maintaining International Order and Promoting Peace in the Asia-Pacific." There were many guests from international organizations therein, including Dr. Gilles Carbonnier, Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who accepted an exclusive interview with the newspaper during the forum.
"The Chinese troops have made outstanding contributions to humanitarian relief and safeguarding world peace", said Carbonnier. In light of the performance of the Chinese troops in the earthquake relief in Nepal, the flood and dam-breaking relief in Laos, and the fight against Ebola epidemic in Africa in recent years, Dr. Gilles Carbonnier commented that the Chinese military is increasingly engaging in international humanitarian relief operations, and has invested more and more manpower, material resources and financial resources. China’s contribution has been widely welcomed across the world.
Dedicated to humanitarian operations including the protection and rescue of victims of war and conflict in the context of neutrality in international or non-international armed conflicts and other situations of violence, the ICRC has maintained long-term cooperation with the United Nations (UN) in peacekeeping operations.
"I know that China actively supports UN peacekeeping operations. We have always maintained good relations with the Chinese military, and continuously deepened cooperation", said Dr. Carbonnier. "Last year, we cooperated with the PLA National Defense University to sponsor a seminar on the law of armed conflict in the Asia-Pacific region, and with the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association (CACDA) to co-organize an international seminar. These events will surely help us deepen consensus and cooperation, so as to better contribute to safeguarding world peace and stability and reducing humanitarian disasters", he added.
The ICRC also actively cooperates with the Chinese peacekeeping forces. In 2016, the ICRC organized a training seminar on humanitarian rescue in the camp of Chinese Medical Peacekeeping contingent in Mali. According to Dr. Carbonnier, in addition to training peacekeepers, the ICRC has also introduced the situation in the mission area to help some troop-contributing countries understand the situation there ahead.
"I feel that the ICRC has great potential for cooperation with the Chinese military," said Dr.Carbonnier. "In addition to peacekeeping, we also hope to cooperate with the Chinese military in such areas as war-related trauma surgery and rescue in areas of armed conflict", added he, since the wars and conflicts in some countries and regions, such as Syria, have brought unprecedented difficulties to international humanitarian relief.
According to Dr. Carbonnier, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum is a very important platform for dialogue and exchange. He expressed that "I am greatly honored to be offered the opportunity to attend the event and stated my views herein".
