BEIJING, June 27 -- A training course for female peacekeepers jointly sponsored by China's Ministry of National Defense and UN Women started in Beijing on Monday.

Forty female military officers will attend the 10-day course, which will cover peacekeeping and humanitarian action, protection of women and children and the use of force.

The officers, including nine from China, were selected by UN Women.

Su Guanghui, a senior officer of China's Defense Ministry, said that female representation in the military and police sectors in UN peacekeeping missions is much lower than that in the civil sector. He hoped that the course will not only improve attendees capabilities but also encourage countries to offer female peacekeepers more opportunities to join mission assignments.

The event also shows China's good faith and commitment to fulfilling its international commitment to maintain peace and promote gender equality in peacekeeping, Su said.

China, in 2015, promised to train 2,000 peacekeepers from all over the world over the following five years.

Over 30,000 servicemen from China have been despatched to 24 UN peacekeeping missions so far. A total of 11 Chinese servicemen have been killed in the line of duty.