Story of Chinese peacekeepers (6)

The photo taken on Dec. 15, 2017 shows Maj. Gen. Michael Beary, head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, taking photos of a removed mine at a minefield near the UN demarcated "Blue Line" in southern Lebanon. The UN Security Council established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on March 19, 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. Since 2006, China has maintained a peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon as a part of the UNIFIL, tasked with missions including mine-sweeping and so on. This year marks the 70th anniversary of UN peacekeeping. China began its participations in the UN peacekeeping operations in 1990. Today, China has some 2,500 peacekeepers and plays an important role in promoting and maintaining world peace. (Xinhua/Dong Yongkang)