A total of 100 Chinese soldiers left Urumqi early Friday morning for an eight-month UN peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The group, including 80 engineers and 20 medical staff, form the first batch of the eighth peacekeeping team China has sent to the African country. The second batch of 118 soldiers are scheduled to arrive in DRC on March 10.

The engineering troops are mainly responsible for building roads, bridges and barracks, and maintaining airports and water and power-supplying facilities. The medical unit is to take care of the sick and wounded as well as epidemic prevention.

Before their departure, the soldiers have all undergone intensive training in techniques and English, according to sources with the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

The seventh peacekeeping team will fly back to China on March 1 and March 2.

(Xinhua News Agency February 29, 2008)