Chinese peacekeepers leave for South Sudan on one-year mission

Chinese peacekeepers perform patrol duty in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Sept. 22, 2019. (Xinhua/Jiang Dongpo)

A contingent of 240 Chinese peacekeepers left Zhangjiakou, a city in northern China's Hebei Province, for South Sudan Tuesday on a one-year mission.

The contingent constitutes the first batch of a 700-member peacekeeping infantry battalion dispatched by China.

They will be tasked with guarding, patrolling, escorting, isolating conflicts, restoring orders, recusing and other security missions.

All members of the battalion have undergone a three-month training session designed on the basis of the security situations in South Sudan and have passed a test, said Han Tao, the battalion commander.