Chinese peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur

NYALA, Sudan, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese special envoy for Sudan's Darfur Liu Guijin on Tuesday lauded the performance of a 140-member Chinese peacekeeping engineering unit deployed in Darfur's capital Nyala, and affirming the other 175 Chinese peacekeepers will arrive here soon.

Liu, who flew into Nyala from the Sudanese capital Khartoum earlier in the day for a one-day visit to Darfur, made the comments during his first visit to the Chinese peacekeeping camp.

The envoy told the Chinese soldiers and officers that their unit had done plenty of effective work in a very short time since their deployment last November. "You build roads, look for water sources, build fence walls and set up this beautiful camp for your peacekeeping mission," he said.

"Your performance, including the construction of this beautiful camp, has won high appraisal from the UN, the Sudanese government and local people (in Darfur)," Liu said. "I feel very proud when Joint Special Representative of the UN and African Union (AU) for Darfur Rodolphe Adada commends your performance."

Liu said China is undertaking seven peacekeeping missions in Africa with some 1,400 troops and Darfur is one of them.

"You are making contributions to peace in Africa. China is a friend to Sudan and the other African nations. You are creating history and you will be forever remembered by the Sudanese people and the African people," Liu said.

China, the first nation outside Africa to send peacekeepers to Darfur, has pledged to send a 315-member multi-functional engineering unit and the second batch of 175 peacekeepers will come here soon, he said, without giving a specific date.

Brigadier General Federick Eze, sector commander of the UN-AU Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), told Liu that the Chinese peacekeepers were "capable, hard-working and very dedicated, and I am confident of their performance."

Eze told Xinhua that the Chinese peacekeepers are "highly committed" and "very serious about their job". "They are true ambassadors for China because they are doing absolutely well ... If I have to give a mark, I think I would give them 95," he said.

They were able to set up such a good camp within just one month, which was really a surprise and a miracle, just as Adada put it, Eze said.

Eze dismissed reports that certain rebel groups in Darfur threatened to attack Chinese peacekeepers, saying "It is not new. It is not aimed at the Chinese peacekeepers. It is against the UNAMID. We have received dozens of such threats."

The commander said the hybrid peacekeeping forces will strengthen their self-defense and they would not be affected by such threats.

Liu arrived in Khartoum on Sunday for a four-day visit in Sudan, which is his fourth tour in the country since his appointment lastMay as the Chinese government's special envoy for Darfur.

Liu, a 62-year-old veteran diplomat and former Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe and South Africa, has been engaged in African affairs for more than 25 years.

He has paid three visits to Sudan and also shuttled between the United States, Britain, Egypt and other countries concerned, making unremitting efforts in resolving the Darfur issue.