China's anti-riot force for peacekeeping in Haiti
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Hu Yunwang, who led the 5th anti-riot police force in Haiti in 2007, will return to Haiti to help in peacekeeping efforts in the earthquake's aftermath.
"As an anti-riot force, my troop will mainly carry out peacekeeping missions and ensure the safety of Chinese recue and medical teams," Hu told Sina.com. "Surely we also will conduct joint rescue operations within our capacity."
Hu also said they will be taking relief materials, including food and medical supplies, especially disinfectant liquid that will help prevent the spread of diseases in Haiti's warm temperatures.
Before the earthquake, 7,600 peacekeepers from more than 40 countries were already working in Haiti to help calm the political and social unrest that has long plagued the country. Since its independence in 1804, Haiti has had more than 30 coups, and crime – such as robberies, kidnappings and homicides – is still rampant. Often, corpses will be left in the street.
Haiti also has poor living conditions and lags behind in economic development. In the country's capital, Port-au-Prince, there are no sewer lines or garbage facilities. It still remains heavily dependent on foreign aid, while its citizens are in extreme poverty.
These factors will make rescue and peacekeeping operations even more difficult, Hu said.
The 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck January 12 and was the strongest in more than 200 years. Haitian Interior Minister Paul Antoine Bien-Aime estimated that 200,000 people may have died.
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