国内英语新闻:Mexican expert lauds China for promoting peace, development

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is taking on a more active role on the global stage to promote peace and development, said Marisela Connelly, a China expert at the College of Mexico's Center for Asian and African Studies.

The remark mainly refers to China's establishment of a 10-year, 1-billion-U.S.-dollar China-UN peace and development fund to support the UN's work.

In a speech delivered at the UN headquarters on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced several initiatives to back the efforts of the United Nations, including the creation of the aforementioned fund and a dedication of 8,000 Chinese troops to UN peacekeeping missions.

"China is now assuming its international responsibilities. As part of this, it is seeking to take on a more active role within the UN," Connelly told Xinhua.

Xi also said that China would provide 100 million U.S. dollars in military aid to the African Union in the next five years, in order to help build a rapid response force.

"The help China will give the African Union goes along with the country's policy in Africa. Its help does not involve being tied to any specific budgets or having to meet the requirements of international organisms. This is very important," said Connelly.

"China is showing that the progress it made internally can be replicated externally," the expert added.