China is to send its sixth riot squad to Haiti in December on a
peacekeeping mission for the United Nations, the Chinese Ministry
of Public Security (MPS) said in Beijing on Thursday.
The riot police, all from southwest China's Yunnan Province and
mostly anti-drug trafficking police officers, are now receiving
training in peacekeeping knowledge, language, driving, shooting and
tactics, according to the MPS. So far, China has sent a total of
five riot squads of 625 police over the last three years to Haiti
since the first riot squad of 125 members was sent there in October
2004, said Meng Hongwei, vice minister of public security.
In addition to regular patrols, Chinese riot police also rescued
hostages, searched for suspects and offered security safeguards
during elections, Meng said.
"All the Chinese riot police in Haiti have won UN peace medals
for their outstanding performance on the peacekeeping mission," he
said.
Besides riot police serving in Haiti, since January 2000 China
has sent 430 police on UN peacekeeping missions to countries and
regions including East Timor, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo,
Liberia, Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan.
(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2007)
