China will dispatch a team of 40 police to the East Timor October
24 to participate in the United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The departure has roused extra attention since a Chinese policeman
got injured in the Bali blast on his way back to China after
completing his mission in the region.
Being the sixth batch of peacekeeping detachment China sends to
East Timor since January 2000, the police team this time includes
seven women. Their carry-on equipment, no major change from
previous ones, include bullet-proof vest and helmet, electric prod,
medicine, flashlight and pistol which, especially the last one,
handy for use, is rather advanced than that of the police from
other 20 countries.
The route through which peacekeeping forces enter and leave East
Timor is appointed by the UN in advance. Since a Chinese policeman
was injured in the Bali blast, it remains unknown so far weather
the UN will change the route for Chinese force.
Lian Changgang, director of the reconnaissance department of China
Police College who was among the first batch of Chinese policemen
in East Timor, once acted for the UN as general supervisor in
charge of all troops sent there by 43 countries. During his
two-year's service in the region there was no Chinese policemen
involved in the reported 300 cases of discipline breaches among
peacekeeping forces, and the clean record has been kept till now,
he said.
( October 24, 2002)