(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-20 07:34

NAQOURA, Lebanon -- UN peacekeeping force commander on Wednesday praised Chinese peacekeeping troops' role in Lebanon during a meeting with visiting China's special envoy on the Middle East issue Sun Bigan in UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura, south Lebanon.

Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano, left, the commander of UNIFIL, and Lebanese Brig. General Michel Haidamous, center, look at a mine detector device during a training exercise simulating an attack against a compound for UN peacekeepers, in the southern village of Chamaa, Lebanon, Dec. 13, 2007. [Agencies]

UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)'s commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano expressed appreciation for Sun's visit, saying that "peacekeeping is a hard work, which needs international participating."

The Chinese Contingent comprises of nearly 335 peacekeepers which constitute Chinese Engineer battalion and one level II hospital. These peacekeepers have been contributing towards the mission in various capacities.

Graziano said that the Chinese Engineer battalion showed utter professionalism during the Lebanon-Israel war last summer between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

They were actively involved in various aspects and road repairing efforts in the conflict affected areas wherein they repaired approximately 160 kilometers stretch of the damaged roads, the Italian commander said.

On his part, Sun expressed gratitude for Graziano's guidance to the Chinese Contingent. He stressed that China would continue its efforts in supporting UN peacekeeping mission and maintaining the world peace and stabilization.

Since 1990, China has participated in 15 UN operations, involving more than 6,000 Chinese peacekeepers, and nine Chinese peacekeepers had died in UN peacekeeping operations, he said.

The envoy, who arrived in Beirut earlier Tuesday on a four-day visit after attending a donors' conference for the Palestinians on Monday in Paris, will also visit Israel, the Palestinian territories and Syria after Lebanon.

Ties with Lebanon important for China

BEIRUT: China attaches great importance to its ties with Lebanon and is eager to promote friendly cooperation with it in all fields.

China's special envoy on the Middle East Sun Bigan said this yesterday during separate talks with Lebanese Army Commander General Michel Suleiman and parliament majority leader Saad Hariri.

China will continue providing all possible help for Lebanon's reconstruction, Sun said while discussing with Suleiman and Hariri the prevailing situation in the country.

On his new round of shuttle diplomacy, the envoy said China appreciated the concern of the countries that have tried to prompt Lebanon to adhere to talks to maintain stability and peace.

Sun will visit Chinese peacekeepers, who are part of the UN Interim Force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), during his four-day stay in the country.

Sun, who reached the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday, after attending a donors' conference for Palestinians in Paris on Monday, will also visit Israel, the Palestinian territory and Syria.

At the Paris conference, Sun said China welcomes and supports the Palestinian government's three-year development plan to revive the economy. China will contribute 80 million yuan ($11 million) in free aid.

He said the Palestinian economic development plan, drawn up by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, will "create a favorable atmosphere for the ongoing political peace talks and lay a solid foundation for the establishment of a Palestinian state".

China has always supported the Middle East peace process and firmly believes in a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said.