Keeping peace

When poverty, hunger and AIDS tortured the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2003, most people avoided stepping foot in the country. However, Hou Dan wasn’t scared off. Instead, she volunteered to participate in the peacekeeping operations.
2003年，贫困、饥饿以及艾滋病在刚果民主共和国肆虐，大多数人都对这个国家避之而不及。但侯丹并没有被吓倒，而是志愿加入了维和行动。

Hou is just one of many Chinese peacekeepers in the United Nations.
侯丹仅仅是联合国众多中国维和人员中的其中一员。

Since China first joined the UN missions in 1990, about 40,000 Chinese troops have been sent to conflict-affected countries and areas in 26 UN peacekeeping operations. At present, more than 2,500 Chinese peacekeepers are on the frontline of UN peacekeeping operations across the world. That makes China one of the most important countries firmly and unhesitatingly upholding world peace and security.
自中国1990年首次参加联合国行动以来，在26次联合国维和行动中，累计向冲突国家及地区派出维和军事人员4万余人次。目前，共有超过2500名中国维和人员在世界各地的联合国维和行动前线执行任务。这令中国成为坚定不移维护世界和平与安全最重要的国家之一。

But peacekeeping missions are never easy. So far, 15 Chinese peacekeepers have laid down their lives for the cause of world peace.
但维和行动并非易事。到目前为止，15名中国维和人员为世界和平事业牺牲了生命。

Shen Liangliang, 29, was one of them. On June 2, 2016, a car bomb detonated at a UN camp. During the terrorist attack, Shen pushed a fellow soldier out of harm’s way, saving his peer’s life at the cost of his own.
年仅29岁的申亮亮便是其中之一。2016年6月2日，一个汽车炸弹在联合国的一处营地爆炸。在这场恐怖袭击中，申亮亮将战友推出险境，为保护战友献出了自己的生命。

“The strong qualities [Chinese peacekeepers display], such as strong leadership, bravery, rigor and meticulousness, professionalism, friendliness and tolerance, have established a very good image for Chinese soldiers and left a deep impression on everyone,” Stefano Del Col, Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UNIFIL, told Xinhua.
“（中国维和人员）所展现的坚强品质，如强大的领导力、勇敢、严格、细致、专业、友善、坚韧等，都为中国军人树立了一个十分良好的形象，给所有人都留下了深刻印象，”联合国驻黎巴嫩临时部队司令斯蒂法诺·德尔·科尔在接受新华社采访时如此表示。

According to Xinhua News Agency, Chinese peacekeepers have newly built and repaired nearly 15,000 kilometers of roads and more than 300 bridges, and cleared more than 10,000 landmines and unexploded ordnance in the globe. More than 1.3 million tons of various materials and equipment have been transported by them, covering a total distance of more than 13 million km. They have also treated more than 200,000 patients and completed numerous long and short distance patrols and armed escorts.
据新华社报道，中国维和人员在全球累计新建、修复约1.5万公里道路和300多座桥梁；排除地雷及各类未爆炸物1万多枚；运送各类物资器材超过130万吨，运输总里程1300多万公里，接诊病人20多万人次；完成无数次长短途巡逻、武装护卫等任务。

“Chinese peacekeepers – civilian, military and police – have played a valuable role in several UN operations over the past 30 years and I commend them for their service under the blue flag,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix told Xinhua on May 28, one day prior to the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
“中国维和人员 —— 不论是平民还是军警 —— 都在过去30年间的数次联合国行动中发挥了重要作用，我在蓝旗下为他们点赞，”5月28日，联合国负责维和行动的副秘书长让-皮埃尔·拉克鲁瓦在联合国维持和平人员国际日前yi接受新华社采访时如此表示。

Without doubt, China will continue to expand its participation in UN peacekeeping missions and “inject new impetus in peacekeeping, make the world more secure, and fulfill its due responsibility as a major country”, Yang Huanhuan, a lecturer at the National Defense University of People’s Liberation Army, wrote in China Daily.
毫无疑问，中国将持续扩大参与联合国维和行动，并“为维和注入新动力，让世界更安全，承担起大国应尽的责任，”中国人民解放军国防大学讲师杨欢欢在《中国日报》上写道。

以上文章内容选自《21世纪学生英文报高中版》，详情请见《21世纪学生英文报高中版》高三723期