China completes registration of 8,000-strong UN peacekeeping force, defence ministry says
Expanded unit fulfils pledge made by Xi Jinping, and will give soldiers chance to experience real-life combat situations, military watchers say
China is set to play a bigger role in United Nations peacekeeping missions while also providing its military with real-life training opportunities after completing the registration of 8,000 troops last week, analysts said.
As required, the standby peacekeeping force would “conduct task-specific and adaptive training in accordance with the UN training standards,” China’s defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian said on Thursday.
Its members were drawn from six infantry battalions, two multi-purpose helicopter platoons, two transport companies, he said, adding that for the first time ever, the group would include an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, unit.
The registration process was completed on September 22, he said.
China’s President Xi Jinping promised to make 8,000 troops available to the UN in 2015, at which time he also offered to help train 2,000 peacekeepers from other countries, provide US$100 million in military aid to the African Union, and deploy more engineering, transport and medical personnel.
