Chinese UN peacekeepers march through Tian'anmen Square during a military parade in Beijing, on September 3, 2025. Photo: VCG

China has stepped up efforts to help developing countries strengthen their capabilities in UN peacekeeping operations, with a peacekeeping drone training course concluding in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a front-page report by the PLA Daily said Tuesday.

The three-week program was jointly organized by the Ministry of National Defense's Peacekeeping Affairs Center and the Air Force Engineering University, and brought together trainees from China, the UN and eight countries including Algeria, Malaysia and South Africa.

The course comes as drones are playing an increasingly prominent role in military operations and other security-related activities, presenting new challenges for UN peacekeeping forces, military commentator Song Zhongping told the Global Times.

"If both sides involved in a conflict possess drone capabilities, but UN peacekeeping forces do not have the corresponding capabilities, they will be unable to effectively carry out their peacekeeping mandate," Song told the Global Times, adding that drone operation and counter-drone technologies have increasingly become essential skills for peacekeepers.

According to the PLA Daily report, the training covered 31 topics, including the principles governing the use of drones in UN peacekeeping operations, deployment, command and control, safety management and logistical support. Experts delivered theoretical lectures, while trainees also participated in comprehensive exercises based on conflict mediation scenarios in UN mission areas.

At the request of the UN, the course included a counter-drone technology and application module for the first time. It also increased the proportion of practical training to better prepare participants for operational responsibilities.

Song said developing countries contribute a substantial share of UN peacekeeping personnel, but their military capabilities, including their ability to operate and counter drones, may be comparatively limited.

"China has extensive experience in both the use of drones and counter-drone operations," he said. "Sharing such experience with other countries, and potentially providing relevant equipment in the future, could help improve the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations."

The importance of strengthening counter-drone capabilities has also been recognized in the UN's own discussions on peacekeeping. 

A 2026 report of the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations encouraged the UN Secretariat and member states to strengthen the exchange of expertise and training cooperation on counter-unmanned aircraft systems, and to work toward developing a framework for counter-drone systems in UN peacekeeping operations.

China has increasingly expanded its international peacekeeping training to cover both traditional areas and emerging technological requirements. In addition to courses for military observers, staff officers and peacekeeping instructors, Chinese military institutions have introduced specialized programs on drone operation and comprehensive situational awareness, according to the report.

Since 2015, the Ministry of National Defense's Peacekeeping Affairs Center has organized more than 30 international peacekeeping training courses and dispatched multiple groups of experts to provide overseas instruction, training peacekeeping 

Song said China's participation in such training reflects its responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and its commitment to supporting the UN peacekeeping system.

"Peacekeeping missions are facing increasingly complex and demanding challenges, while the equipment and experience of peacekeeping forces have not always kept pace with the situations they encounter," he said. 

"Strengthening their capabilities is therefore essential to ensuring that peacekeepers can better fulfill their mandates and protect personnel in the field."

China, as a major country in drone technology and equipment, is in a position to share its experience and technical expertise with other troop-contributing countries, Song noted.