On October 16, a delegation of senior officials from the United Nations Peacekeeping Affairs visited the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University. Experts and scholars from CISS and the Tsinghua University Schwarzman College’s Tong Zhongying Global Development Center engaged in in-depth discussions on the current status and future prospects of UN peacekeeping operations, as well as China’s evolving role in international security.

At the beginning of the event, Dr. Liao Ying, Executive Deputy Director of the Tong Zhongying Global Development Center, delivered welcoming remarks and introduced Tsinghua University’s academic mission and disciplinary strengths. Ms. Guo Jia, Director for International Cooperation and Exchange at CISS, gave an overview of CISS and extended a warm welcome to the visiting delegation.

Lieutenant General Cheryl Ann Pearce, Acting Military Adviser to the UN Secretary-General, introduced the purpose and guiding principles of UN peacekeeping missions, emphasizing the importance of advancing multilateral dialogue and cooperation in peacekeeping operations.

Participants conducted in-depth discussions on the multiple challenges faced by the United Nations in today’s complex international environment—marked by intensifying regional conflicts and growing transnational tensions. They explored how the UN and its member states could deepen cooperation to adapt to evolving geopolitical realities. The experts highlighted that, in response to emerging threats such as artificial intelligence and cyberattacks, the UN must continuously enhance its capacity to manage new forms of conflict, improving the flexibility and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations.

When discussing China’s growing role and responsibilities in global peace and security, participants noted that since joining UN peacekeeping operations, Chinese peacekeepers have taken on an increasingly broad range of missions, contributing significantly to regional stability and local socioeconomic development. Looking ahead, experts suggested that China could further support UN peacekeeping efforts by enhancing human resource contributions, applying digital technologies, and strengthening capacity-building among troop-contributing countries—thereby improving the overall effectiveness of international peacekeeping.

Participants in the dialogue included:Lieutenant General Cheryl Ann Pearce, Acting Military Adviser to the UN Secretary-General;Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian, Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan;Mr. David Haeri, Director of the Division for Policy, Evaluation and Training, UN Department of Peace Operations;Colonel Bibhudatta Lenka, Chief of the Force Generation Service, UN Office of Military Affairs;Lieutenant Colonel Kylie Robson, Assistant to the Acting Military Adviser to the UN Secretary-General;Dr. Liao Ying, Executive Deputy Director, Tong Zhongying Global Development Center, Tsinghua University;Prof. Qu Wei, Director, Center for Global Learning, School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University;Zhou Bo, Research Fellow at CISS and Senior Fellow at the China Forum;Song Bo, Assistant Research Fellow, CISS;Shi Yan, Assistant Research Fellow, CISS;Guo Jia, Director for International Cooperation and Exchange, CISS;