410 Chinese peacekeepers in Lebanon awarded UN medals of peace

BEIRUT, July 4 (Xinhua) -- A total of 410 peacekeepers of the 21st Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Lebanon were awarded UN medals of peace on Tuesday for their outstanding commitment to maintaining stability and peace in the south of the country.

A medal parade ceremony was held at the Chinese peacekeepers' camp in Hanniyah village in southern Lebanon to honor the Chinese peacekeeping contingent, which is a part of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

In his address at the event, Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, the UNIFIL commander, expressed his appreciation for the Chinese government's "continued support and remarkable commitment" to the UN peace mission.

The ceremony was also attended by Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian, Defense Attache Zheng Yuchong, representatives of the Lebanese armed forces, local officials and UNIFIL civilian and military personnel.

The UNIFIL chief noted that this is a testimony of the cordial relationship between the Lebanese society, both its people and authorities, and UNIFIL peacekeepers, represented this time by the Chinse peacekeepers.

Warmly congratulating the Chinese peacekeepers, he said "this medal is a token of appreciation in recognition of your hard work performed with professionalism and determination" in the past 10 months.

He thanked the Chinese peacekeepers for "paving the way for a lasting peace in south Lebanon" with their hard and professional work ranging from demining, blue barrel maintenance, construction, medical aid to humanitarian assistance.

The 21st Chinese peacekeeping contingent, which includes a multi-functional engineer detachment, a construction engineer detachment and a medical detachment, has been serving the UN Mission since August 2022.

So far, the Chinese peacekeepers have cleared more than 8,400 square meters of minefields, safely removed over 1,400 landmines, completed about 100 construction tasks with high standards, provided medical treatments to above 3,000 UNIFIL personnel and local people, and held over 20 cultural exchange activities, among other things.

After receiving the medal, Yan Xiaoliang, commanding officer of the contingent, said that the honor is a kind of spiritual inspiration to the Chinese peacekeepers, pledging that they will keep performing their duties with professionalism and determination until the last day of their mission.

More than 7,000 Chinese peacekeepers have been dispatched to Lebanon since 2006.

The UN Security Council established the UNIFIL on March 19, 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. Its mandate was expanded following the 2006 Lebanon War.