China dispatches third peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan

ZHENGZHOU - China despatched the first 120 of a 700-member peacekeeping infantry battalion to Juba, capital of South Sudan on Dec. 4.

The remainder of the infantry battalion, which has been assigned to a 12-month United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission, will leave in five separate groups.

The peacekeepers have all attended a three-month peacekeeping course and will be engaged with the protection of civilians, supporting UN and humanitarian relief programs, patrols and escorts.

The infantry battalion is the third Chinese team to be dispatched to South Sudan, since the country deployed its first peacekeeping infantry battalion in South Sudan in 2015.

In July this year, two Chinese peacekeepers were killed and five others were injured during a peacekeeping mission in Juba.

China currently has over 2,600 peacekeeping personnel involved in 10 UN peacekeeping operations, making China the most active permanent member of the UN Security Council in terms of supplying peacekeeping personnel.