Nation's peacekeepers empower Africa (2)

Chinese peacekeepers patrol in Juba, capital of South Sudan, to protect the population during the May Day holiday. WANG TENG / XINHUA

The troops have also spent more than 100 days on duty outside Juba, covering over 50,000 kilometers in southern and central areas of the country. They have undertaken nine cordon-and-search operations and resolved 300 hostile incidents without violence within the weapon-free zone, including three in which armed insurgents penetrated the zone, intending to kidnap civilians.

"Pre-emptive, careful and strategic planning has given our soldiers the ability to withstand and overcome unexpected incidents in volatile environments," Chen said.

"We have faced serious situations in the Yei River area, about 160 km southwest of Juba ... Our presence restored security and allowed humanitarian and investigation teams to access the areas."

The Canadian Ambassador to South Sudan, Alan Hamson, lauded the Chinese peacekeepers' efforts.

He said in a tweet in February, "This region has been tormented by horrible violence in the past two years, but its people are now protected by Chinese peacekeepers.

"I saw them patrol the areas, and they were all friendly toward local people. Among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, China is the biggest contributor to the UN peacekeeping mission."

The fourth Chinese infantry battalion based in Juba has also received high praise from UNMISS. An assessment report in the first half of this year looked at the battalion's preparedness, and it won high marks for overall performance. The report said it excelled in personnel management, logistics, operations, communications and training.