BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have performed their duties both nationwide and worldwide in recent years, providing a solid foundation for the first Chinese People's Police Day on Sunday, which fell on Jan. 10.

In the past three decades, over 40,000 Chinese "blue helmets" have been dispatched to conflict-affected countries and areas in 25 United Nations peace operations.

"In the big world, I may be like a small feather; but as a feather, I want to carry a wish of peace," found in the journal of He Zhihong, a Chinese peacekeeper who lost her life in the Haitian earthquake.

On Jan. 12, 2010, a strong earthquake hit Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince, killing all eight Chinese peacekeepers who were then having a meeting in the headquarters of UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

He, from southwest China's Yunnan Province, was to turn 35 that year. Serving as a liaison officer, she had demonstrated an utmost professionalism as a member of the Chinese peacekeeping force and had built a good reputation among her colleagues.

Shi Jing, one of only four female members from the Chinese team of UN's Formed Police Units (FPU) to Liberia, was trained to be part of a cohesive unit accomplishing "high-risk" tasks that individual police officers could not address.

"I really believe all this is worth it. What I'm gaining during peacekeeping will be the greatest wealth in my life," said 28-year-old Shi.

For Zhu Longzhu and Lian Cheng, two other members of the team, the service in Liberia was a special honeymoon of sorts, having only been married for a month before their mission began.

In Liberia, the FPU Chinese team also donated stationery and sporting goods and gave basic Chinese language lessons to local students.

Chinese peacekeeping police are "friendly, professional and disciplined," in the eyes of Africans across the continent, said Liu Jia, a doctor in the Chinese FPU to Liberia.

Commenting on the performance of Chinese peacekeepers, UN under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said that China's contribution is "extremely important."

"What is remarkable is that the contributions of China are very high-quality," said Lacroix, recalling his visit to South Sudan. "I was deeply impressed by the quality of the Chinese contingent, qualified people and quality equipment."

The purpose of Police Day is to help the public remember the martyrs sacrificed in overseas missions, the "blue-helmet" peacekeepers dispatched across the world, all police officers inside and outside the country, and last but not least, that Chinese police are always on duty as envoys of peace.