Source Title: Face to Face｜Serving Peace Chinese Peacekeeper Jin Taotao Twice in Blue Armor
May 29 is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. In the most dangerous areas in the world, more than 100,000 military personnel, police officers and civilians are carrying out UN peacekeeping missions every day. Jin Taotao, a civilian policeman from Chongqing, China, is one of them. Through video connection, “Face to Face” conducted an exclusive interview with Jin Taotao, who was far away in Cyprus.
“Dissuade” illegal trespassers with tenderness
Cyprus is an island country located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. After independence in 1960, it was divided into north and south due to ethnic conflicts, which were controlled by Greek and Turkish. In order to prevent conflicts between the two communities, the UN peacekeeping force has set up a UN buffer zone in the area controlled by the north-south dividing line in Cyprus to monitor the ceasefire and carry out humanitarian relief. This is a highly politically sensitive mission area. Jin Taotao has been working here for four months and is currently mainly responsible for patrolling.
The patrol route of the Altino police station in the fourth war zone where Jin Taotao is located is the longest in the Cyprus mission area. Even if you drive by car, it takes five hours for a round trip to patrol. If you encounter bad weather or need to deal with incidents, it will take longer. , Once, Jin Taotao spent nearly fifteen hours. Unlike peacekeeping police riot squads with live ammunition, peacekeeping civilian police are not equipped with guns and can only supervise, mediate, observe and report.
Jin Tao Tao:When I first arrived in the mission area in Cyprus, I was patrolling the buffer zone with a male policeman from another country and met a local common man. Our term is illegal trespassing. His vehicle was driving in it. When the police came forward to question him, he was very emotional and said that you should not have been here, this is our country, and you should go back to your country.
Because Cyprus has been in a state of partition for a long time, the people are very sensitive to territorial issues. Seeing the escalation of conflicts between the two sides, the situation is regarding to get out of control. At this time, Jin Taotao’s only weapons are his communication skills and police skills.
Jin Tao Tao:What I want is to calm down first. I said this when I went to persuade me. I said yes, this is indeed your country, but now the patrol area is the buffer zone of the United Nations. Please respect our work. . At that time, my language was relatively calm. As a female police officer, I have certain advantages. For example, she has a good affinity. After the other party’s emotions are stable, he can listen to him and reason with him. If he says that, I may leave soon. , I had a very good impression when he left, and he said that the Chinese police are still very good.
Including Jin Taotao, a total of 6 Chinese peacekeeping police are currently carrying out peacekeeping missions in Cyprus. In the mission area far from the motherland and family, danger and loneliness are inevitable tests. Just a few days before our interview, there was a shooting incident in the jurisdiction of Jin Taotao’s police station, but fortunately there were no casualties.
Jin Tao Tao:In fact, before we came, we did psychological construction. If we were not prepared for bloodshed or sacrifice, we might not be able to be a peacekeeper.
reporter:You have been trained to have such a mental construction, but for your family, will they understand your mental construction?
Jin Tao Tao:I think they should also have a certain psychological capacity. They should have been used to it for so long. As the family members of the police, they also know that some other things may happen.
Expedition to the world’s most dangerous peacekeeping mission area
Jin Taotao, 37 years old this year, went to the UN mission area in Cyprus to perform a peacekeeping mission, which is her second time abroad to perform a peacekeeping mission. She graduated from Chongqing University with a major in International Trade. She joined the police force in March 2011 and became a police officer of the Economic Crime Investigation Team of the Chongqing Public Security Bureau. In 2019, Jin Taotao passed five trials and six generals, successfully passed various selections by the United Nations, and obtained a “pass” to the mission area in South Sudan. When Jin Taotao left home for the first time, his son was only 7 years old and just started elementary school.
Jin Tao Tao:At the time, I told my children and my lover that living conditions in China are now very good. If possible, I would like to make some contributions to these children. When South Sudan was regarding to send a mission, I showed my children pictures of local children. Every day when you go to school happily with your schoolbag on your back, these children may be rummaging through the rubbish heap. When there is no food to eat, the child also said that Mom, go do something for them. He said that Mom, when you go, come back and tell me what you have seen and what happened.
In December 2019, Jin Taotao set off for a one-year peacekeeping mission in South Sudan with the eighth Chinese peacekeeping police force to South Sudan. Due to the continuous fighting, the South Sudan mission area has been assessed by the United Nations as one of the most dangerous and hardest peacekeeping mission areas in the world. When Chongqing has entered the cold winter, the scorching dry season in South Sudan has just arrived. The dormitory and office buildings in the camp where the peacekeepers are located are all containers, and Jin Taotao was assigned to a four-person container dormitory.
Jin Tao Tao:The container is easy to transfer, and the cost is relatively low. The environment in the United Nations camp is much better than the outside, but it is not dare to open the window at night.
reporter:If the container is exposed to high temperature for a day, it is basically impossible to stay at night.
Malaria is known as the “number one killer” in South Sudan due to poor hygiene and medical conditions. During Jin Taotao’s mission, a UN peacekeeper died of cerebral malaria. Since the dormitory in the camp has no water and no toilet, the team members usually need to walk to a public toilet several kilometers away to take a bath and use the toilet.
Jin Tao Tao:In general, shower facilities and sanitary facilities are separated, but they are all carried out in a container. If you go to the toilet at night, you should be more careful. The first thing you imagine is mosquitoes, and there are many bushes and snakes in the camp. We also saw huge lizards at the time. I was waiting for it to go before we go. It is really big, maybe more than one meter long.
After a short induction training, Jin Taotao was assigned to patrol in the Juba theater, patrolling the refugee camp and Juba urban area every day. The environment of the refugee camp is dirty and disease is rampant, and the mission is full of danger and uncertainty. Shortly following arriving on duty in the mission area, Jin Taotao received news that there might be prohibited items in the refugee camp, but when she and her colleagues arrived at the designated location, a large number of refugees began to gather, and there were also women and children nearby. Jin Taotao decided to evacuate the onlookers first, and then carry out persuasion work for the main persons involved. However, persuasion did not go well at first.
Jin Tao Tao:At that time, there was a certain sense of frustration in my heart, because the search work and the prevention of contraband were to protect them, but they might not understand them. At that time, when I came forward to communicate, the leader was still very excited. I started to communicate with the leader, women and children. I felt that they might be more accepting of me. After they stabilized their emotions, they might understand us a little bit. work, knowing that we are not here to disrupt their daily lives, but to protect them.
reporter:With so many risks, how do you integrate as quickly as possible?
Jin Tao Tao:I think the first point is that you have to learn to respect. You are from China, but other countries have their own customs. You have to learn to respect. Now that this has happened, how can you handle it better? But I will not lose myself. As a Chinese policeman, I have my own ideals and persistence, which I will not give up.
When Jin Taotao went to South Sudan to perform a peacekeeping mission, he was at a sensitive moment when the peace agreement between the local government army and the opposition was regarding to be torn apart and civil war broke out at any time. Here, looting and riots occur from time to time.
Jin Tao Tao:Usually we prepare a kind of life-saving bag, which contains our passport, money, some daily food, drinking water, etc. If an emergency occurs, we must take this package with us when we must evacuate. At that time in South Sudan at any time of tense moments, the package was basically there wherever it went.
Awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medal
In December 2020, Jintaotao returned to China following the expiry of his peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. In January 2022, Jin Taotao bid farewell to relatives and friends, wearing a blue helmet, and went on another expedition to perform a peacekeeping mission in the United Nations mission area in Cyprus. She hopes to use her advantages and work in the United Nations in the future to better serve the Chinese police force and more. Deeply involved in United Nations affairs.
Jin Tao Tao:I felt honored when I performed a peacekeeping mission on behalf of China, because I might feel the strength of the country, and I felt more welcome outside. Once I came back from the mission and met a local who saw my national flag. He said that China is very good, and he has always wanted to go to China. At this time, you will feel very proud.
Since 1948, more than 1 million peacekeepers have served under the UN banner, and more than 3,700 peacekeepers have given their lives in the cause of peace. Since dispatching the first batch of peacekeeping police in 2000, China has dispatched more than 2,600 peacekeeping police officers to 11 UN mission areas to assist local law enforcement agencies to maintain social order and promote local judicial reconstruction. On the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, Jin Taotao was awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medal.
Jin Tao Tao:This is the logo of the United Nations, blue is the United Nations, white and blue represent the Mediterranean Sea, because Cyprus is close to the Mediterranean Sea, and there are words behind it.
Jin Tao Tao:Serving Peace, this year’s medal is the second I’ve received, the first in South Sudan.
Jin Tao Tao:It may be a lifetime memory. When we see the medal, we will think of the bits and pieces in the mission area. Many times the halo we see is more regarding hard work. The motherland has been supporting you, and your family has been sticking to you. Although you are alone, you are not alone. I hope that the efforts I have made for peacekeeping work can bring peace to the people of these countries. There will be no wars and massacres, and everyone will live a happy life, just like our motherland. When many national police officers asked regarding the situation in China, I was proud to say that China is now peaceful and prosperous. If you have the opportunity, you are welcome to come and visit China.
May 29 is the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. In the most dangerous areas in the world, more than 100,000 military personnel, police officers and civilians are carrying out UN peacekeeping missions every day. Jin Taotao, a civilian policeman from Chongqing, China, is one of them. Through video connection, “Face to Face” conducted an exclusive interview with Jin Taotao, who was far away in Cyprus.
“Dissuade” illegal trespassers with tenderness
Cyprus is an island country located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. After independence in 1960, it was divided into north and south due to ethnic conflicts, which were controlled by Greek and Turkish. To prevent conflicts between the two communities, the UN peacekeeping force has set up a UN buffer zone in the area controlled by the North-South dividing line in Cyprus to monitor the ceasefire and carry out humanitarian relief. This is a highly politically sensitive mission area. Jin Taotao has been working here for four months and is currently mainly responsible for patrolling.
The patrol route of the Altino police station in the fourth war zone where Jin Taotao is located is the longest in the Cyprus mission area. Even if you drive by car, it takes five hours for a round trip to patrol. If you encounter bad weather or need to deal with incidents, it will take longer. , Once, Jin Taotao spent nearly fifteen hours. Unlike peacekeeping police riot squads with live ammunition, peacekeeping civilian police are not equipped with guns and can only supervise, mediate, observe and report.
Jin Tao Tao:When I first arrived in the mission area in Cyprus, I was patrolling the buffer zone with a male policeman from another country and met a local common man. Our term is illegal trespassing. His vehicle was driving in it. When the police came forward to question him, he was very emotional and said that you should not have been here, this is our country, and you should go back to your country.
Because Cyprus has been in a state of partition for a long time, the people are very sensitive to territorial issues. Seeing the escalation of conflicts between the two sides, the situation is regarding to get out of control. At this time, Jin Taotao’s only weapons are his communication skills and police skills.
Jin Tao Tao:What I want is to calm down first. I said this when I went to persuade me. I said yes, this is indeed your country, but now the patrol area is the buffer zone of the United Nations. Please respect our work. . At that time, my language was relatively calm. As a female police officer, I have certain advantages. For example, she has a good affinity. After the other party’s emotions are stable, he can listen to him and reason with him. If he says that, I may leave soon. , I had a very good impression when he left, and he said that the Chinese police are still very good.
Including Jin Taotao, a total of 6 Chinese peacekeeping police are currently carrying out peacekeeping missions in Cyprus. In the mission area far from the motherland and family, danger and loneliness are inevitable tests. Just a few days before our interview, there was a shooting incident in the jurisdiction of Jin Taotao’s police station, but fortunately there were no casualties.
Jin Tao Tao:In fact, before we came, we did psychological construction. If we were not prepared for bloodshed or sacrifice, we might not be able to be a peacekeeper.
reporter:You have been trained to have such a psychological construction, but for your family, will they understand your psychological construction?
Jin Tao Tao:I think they should also have a certain psychological capacity. They should have been used to it for so long. As the family members of the police, they also know that some other things may happen.
Expedition to the world’s most dangerous peacekeeping mission area
Jin Taotao, 37 years old this year, went to the UN mission area in Cyprus to perform a peacekeeping mission, which is her second time abroad to perform a peacekeeping mission. She graduated from Chongqing University with a major in International Trade. She joined the police force in March 2011 and became a police officer of the Economic Crime Investigation Team of the Chongqing Public Security Bureau. In 2019, Jin Taotao passed five trials and six generals, successfully passed various selections by the United Nations, and obtained a “pass” to the mission area in South Sudan. When Jin Taotao left home for the first time, his son was only 7 years old and just started elementary school.
Jin Tao Tao:At the time, I told my children and my lover that living conditions in China are now very good. If possible, I would like to make some contributions to these children. When South Sudan was regarding to send a mission, I showed my children pictures of local children. Every day when you go to school happily with your schoolbag on your back, these children may be rummaging through the rubbish heap. When there is no food to eat, the child also said that Mom, go do something for them. He said that Mom, when you go, come back and tell me what you have seen and what happened.
In December 2019, Jin Taotao set off for a one-year peacekeeping mission in South Sudan with the eighth Chinese peacekeeping police force to South Sudan. Due to the continuous fighting, the South Sudan mission area has been assessed by the United Nations as one of the most dangerous and hardest peacekeeping mission areas in the world. When Chongqing has entered the cold winter, the scorching dry season in South Sudan has just arrived. The dormitory and office buildings in the camp where the peacekeepers are located are all containers, and Jin Taotao was assigned to a four-person container dormitory.
Jin Tao Tao:The container is easy to transfer, and the cost is relatively low. The environment in the United Nations camp is much better than the outside, but it is not dare to open the window at night.
reporter:If the container is exposed to high temperature for a day, it is basically impossible to stay at night.
Malaria is known as the “number one killer” in South Sudan due to poor hygiene and medical conditions. During Jin Taotao’s mission, a UN peacekeeper died of cerebral malaria. Since the dormitory in the camp has no water and no toilet, the team members usually need to walk to a public toilet several kilometers away to take a bath and use the toilet.
Jin Tao Tao:In general, shower facilities and sanitary facilities are separated, but they are all carried out in a container. If you go to the toilet at night, you should be more careful. The first thing you imagine is mosquitoes, and there are many bushes and snakes in the camp. We also saw huge lizards at the time. I was waiting for it to go before we go. It is really big, maybe more than one meter long.
After a short induction training, Jin Taotao was assigned to patrol in the Juba theater, patrolling the refugee camp and Juba urban area every day. The environment of the refugee camp is dirty and disease is rampant, and the mission is full of danger and uncertainty. Shortly following arriving on duty in the mission area, Jin Taotao received news that there might be prohibited items in the refugee camp, but when she and her colleagues arrived at the designated location, a large number of refugees began to gather, and there were also women and children nearby. Jin Taotao decided to evacuate the onlookers first, and then carry out persuasion work for the main persons involved. However, persuasion did not go well at first.
Jin Tao Tao:At that time, there was a certain sense of frustration in my heart, because the search work and the prevention of contraband were to protect them, but they might not understand them. At that time, when I came forward to communicate, the leader was still very excited. I started to communicate with the leader, women and children. I felt that they might be more receptive to me. After they stabilized their emotions, they might understand us a little bit. work, knowing that we are not here to disrupt their daily lives, but to protect them.
reporter:With so many risks, how do you integrate as quickly as possible?
Jin Tao Tao:I think the first point is that you have to learn to respect. You are from China, but other countries have their own customs. You have to learn to respect. Now that this has happened, how can you handle it better? But I will not lose myself. As a Chinese policeman, I have my own ideals and persistence, which I will not give up.
When Jin Taotao went to South Sudan to perform a peacekeeping mission, he was at a sensitive moment when the peace agreement between the local government army and the opposition was regarding to be torn apart and civil war broke out at any time. Here, looting and riots occur from time to time.
Jin Tao Tao:Usually we prepare a kind of life-saving bag, which contains our passport, money, some daily food, drinking water, etc. If an emergency occurs, we must take this package with us when we must evacuate. At that time in South Sudan at any time of tense moments, the package was basically there wherever it went.
Awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medal
In December 2020, Jintaotao returned to China following the expiry of his peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. In January 2022, Jin Taotao bid farewell to relatives and friends, wearing a blue helmet, and went on another expedition to perform a peacekeeping mission in the United Nations mission area in Cyprus. She hopes to use her advantages and work in the United Nations in the future to better serve the Chinese police force and more. Deeply involved in United Nations affairs.
Jin Tao Tao:I felt honored when I performed a peacekeeping mission on behalf of China, because I might feel the strength of the country, and I felt more welcome outside. Once I came back from the mission and met a local who saw my national flag. He said that China is very good, and he has always wanted to go to China. At this time, you will feel very proud.
Since 1948, more than 1 million peacekeepers have served under the UN banner, and more than 3,700 peacekeepers have given their lives in the cause of peace. Since dispatching the first batch of peacekeeping police in 2000, China has dispatched more than 2,600 peacekeeping police officers to 11 UN mission areas to assist local law enforcement agencies to maintain social order and promote local judicial reconstruction. On the occasion of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, Jin Taotao was awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medal.
Jin Tao Tao:This is the logo of the United Nations, blue is the United Nations, white and blue represent the Mediterranean Sea, because Cyprus is close to the Mediterranean Sea, and there are words behind it.
Jin Tao Tao:Serving Peace, this year’s medal is the second I’ve received, the first in South Sudan.
Jin Tao Tao:It may be a lifetime memory. When we see the medal, we will think of the bits and pieces in the mission area. Many times the halo we see is more regarding hard work. The motherland has been supporting you, and your family has been sticking to you. Although you are alone, you are not alone. I hope that the efforts I have made for peacekeeping work can bring peace to the people of these countries. There will be no wars and massacres, and everyone will live a happy life, just like our motherland. When many national police officers asked regarding the situation in China, I was proud to say that China is now peaceful and prosperous. If you have the opportunity, you are welcome to come and visit China.
