China will, for the first time, dispatch police officers and
soldiers to the war-torn West African country of Liberia for
peacekeeping missions, sources with the Ministry of Public Security
said Thursday.
At the request of the United Nations and approved by the State
Council, five Chinese police officers who have passed the
ministry's strict examinations and met all UN requirements for
peacekeeping missions will fly to Liberia on Sunday, said the
ministry.
When meeting with the five officers, Assistant Minister of
Public Security Meng Hongwei demanded they abide by UN regulations
and local laws while executing peacekeeping tasks.
Meng's ministry has provided helmets, bullet-proof vests,
truncheons and other necessities to ensure they can live and work
independently and safely in the West African nation.
In September this year, the United Nations decided to organize a
special regiment to Liberia for a peacekeeping mission in
accordance with Resolution 1509 which was been approved by the
Security Council.
Twenty-nine countries including China, the United States and
Britain have decided to send peacekeeping police to Liberia, where
the number of UN peacekeeping police will reach 1,200.
In early October, Liberia signed a communique to resume
diplomatic relations with China at the ambassadorial level after it
decided to break off a relationship with Taiwan.
In another development, a military company of more than 240
Chinese soldiers is now ready to carry out peacekeeping missions in
Liberia and is waiting for UN departure orders, reported
Xinhua.
According to the General Logistics Department of the People's
Liberation Army of China, the company will be responsible for
transportation tasks for other peacekeeping troops near the
Liberian capital of Monrovia.
(China Daily November 28, 2003)