China and the Role of the United Nations in the Middle East: Revised Policy

Abstract

From the late 1950s to the early 1980s, the People's Republic of China (PRC) consistently denied the right and authority of the United Nations to take part in, let alone lead, the settlement of Middle Eastern issues, particularly in the form of sending international peacekeeping forces. This hostile attitude persisted even after the PRC had been admitted to the U.N. and was a permanent member of the Security Council. It is only since the early 1980s that China's post-Mao leaders began to reconsider their U.N. policy. By late 1985, a new Chinese attitude emerged that not only encouraged the U.N. to play a role in settling international conflicts but also stipulated that the PRC could and should contribute its due share, actively, in these efforts. This has been amply demonstrated during the recent Gulf crisis.