Senses of responsibility and achievement
Chinese troops have a good reputation among local people in South Sudan. During a patrol, Zhang found out, “When they see Chinese peacekeepers, people on the side of the road will shout ‘ China, friend!’ and some people will say ‘ Nihao,’ which means hello in Chinese.” This elicited powerful emotions in Xue. During his four peacekeeping missions, he could feel the changes in the local people’s attitudes toward the Chinese troops, from unfamiliarity to affability, then to respect. “More and more South Sudanese people have begun to speak Chinese and actively greet us.”
When Zhang first went to South Sudan, the poverty level overshot her expectation. She said “during patrols, both adults and children will reach out to us to ask for food and water.” Xue said “there are hundreds of people in a village, but there is only one nurse, and the medical facilities are rather poor. We often go to local communities to carry out military- civilian coordination activities, conduct free clinics for villagers, build walls for schools, and donate books. At the end of May, the China Camp also helped local children create a football field.”
In South Sudan, the rights and interests of women and children are not easily guaranteed. As a female peacekeeper, Zhang showed empathy for them. “We specially went to the villages around the camp to teach local women self- defense techniques to help them improve their safety and defense capabilities, and we also specially printed text books in English so that they could consolidate and practice the techniques.” During later patrols, Zhang found that there were women in the village practicing these techniques, and she felt very relieved.
Zhang said, “It is very honorable that we have experienced things that others have not experienced, seeing that the environment in South Sudan has improved compared with the past. Locals would ask us for books and stationery. I feel very happy, because this reflects the efforts and dedication of us peacekeepers.”
For all Chinese peacekeepers, everyone is under pressure and faces challenges, but there is a strong force from the motherland supporting them. “It is especially when I see locals who do not have fixed abodes. Every time I see the Chinese national flag flying high, I feel a sense of pride as a Chinese soldier. I sincerely feel the strength of the motherland and love for it, as I cherish world peace more.” Ding said, “we are using our modest efforts to contribute to world peace and show the world the responsibility of the Chinese military.”