China should draft a law to regulate military operations overseas, a lawmaker said on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary session.

"With increasing involvement of our military forces in overseas operations, such as peace-keeping and rescue efforts, it's necessary to enact a law to define the validity of such operations and guarantee the interests of our army men," said Zeng Haisheng, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC).

The law should cover articles on the types of overseas military operations, the functions of Chinese army men, personnel management, weapons and equipment transportation, and compensations for the dead and injured, among other items, said Zeng, a senior officer with the Headquarters of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army.

Specifically, Zeng called for the government to work out regulations on Chinese military forces participating in UN peace-keeping operations, international humanitarian rescue operations, joint military exercises and anti-terrorism operations.

Last year saw a record number of China-foreign military exercises, including coastal search and rescue exercises with Britain, France and Australia and anti-terrorist exercises in high-altitude areas with Pakistan.

China has also actively participated in anti-terrorism and non-proliferation actions.

Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said at a press conference last week that China had sent more than 5,000 people UN peace-keeping operations.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2007)