The U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is currently on a four-day trip to Beijing, courting the Chinese leaders for greater global security strength and raising a wide-range of topics including human rights issues in the country.
The U.N. general secretary applauded the Beijing government for its "crucial" role in reducing tensions over the Korean peninsula as well as its commitment to sending peacekeepers to the new U.N. mission in Mali in recent months.
"China provides more peacekeepers to the United Nations than all of the four other permanent members combined. I applaud this solidarity," said Ban Ki-moon.
While praising China for its greater role in the international peace and security missions, Ban Ki-moon also touched upon some thorny issues like its human rights, according to the U.N. News Centre.
The general secretary met the Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi.
Ban is scheduled to meet several other leaders in Beijing and he had said earlier that he will discuss topics like Syria, climate change and North Korea.
"I would like to have more in-depth discussions with President Xi Jinping and other leaders on how China can contribute further to the reduction of tension on the Korean peninsula," said Ban Ki-moon Wednesday.
Though China is North Korea's best ally, Beijing in recent months has been warning the Pyongyang government about its nuclear and missiles tests.
Beijing started its international peace missions in the 1990s and more than 22,000 Chinese military peace keepers have served in 23 U.N. missions, according to the Chinese State News Agency Xinhua.
