Hey fam! Did you know that 50 years ago, China officially regained its seat at the United Nations? Since then, it's gone from being a new member to a major player – boosting peacekeeping, funding global projects, and pushing for UN reforms. Here's the tea 🍵 on how China's made waves at the UN and why it matters for emerging markets in South and Southeast Asia.
Peacekeeping on the Ground: Over 50,000 Strong
Back in 1990, China sent its first five military observers to UN missions. Fast-forward today, and more than 50,000 Chinese peacekeepers have served in 26 missions across 20+ countries and regions. From building roads in South Sudan to running field hospitals in Lebanon, they've been everywhere. Currently, over 1,800 are on duty in seven mission areas plus UN HQ – making China the top peace contributor among the UN Security Council's permanent members 🙌.
Money Talks: Big Budget Boost
China isn't just sending boots on the ground – it's opening the wallet too. It's now the second-largest funder of the UN's regular budget and peacekeeping ops. At the turn of the century, China's share was under 1%. Today, it's over 20%! 💸 Just think: big tech hubs like Bangalore or Jakarta could only dream of that kind of growth.
2030 Agenda & Global South Solidarity
In Sept 2021, China launched a $10M China-UN Global South-South Development Facility and opened the Shanghai Global Center for Sustainable Development with UNDP. The goal? Speed up the UN's 2030 Agenda – aka a global blueprint to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. Fun fact: China lifted 800M folks out of extreme poverty by 2020, smashing the 2030 goal a decade early 🎉.
Through 130 projects in 60 countries, they've helped 30M+ people – from sharing rice-growing tech across Asia to setting up sustainable fishing in island nations like the Maldives. Up next: 2,000 new livelihood projects, 200 maritime programs for small island states, and a huge Clean Stove Project to cut emissions in kitchens.
Green Energy & Closing the "Green Gap"
China's renewable energy game is world-class. By building massive wind and solar industries, it's driven down global clean-energy costs by 60-80%. Imagine solar rooftops in Manila or wind farms in Tamil Nadu becoming more affordable – that's China's impact, working with 100+ countries to spread green power 🌱🔌.
Reforming the UN: Strong, Not Weak
Finally, China's been vocal about updating the UN to tackle modern challenges – without breaking what works. It's pushing for better representation for developing regions (hi, Africa!). The mantra is simple: reform smartly, keep the wins, and make sure the UN stays fit for purpose in the 21st century.
From finance to field ops, China's mix of ambition and action has reshaped its UN role. For young pros in South and Southeast Asia, this matters – because global stability, sustainable growth, and fair representation set the stage for our next-gen startups, social justice pushes, and green innovations. The UN's playground is changing – and China is one of its biggest game-changers.
Reference(s):
Returning and re-engaging: China's enduring commitment to the UN
cgtn.com
