By Xiong Jialei, Hao Zhaojian, Yang Bangzhao, and Yu Hao
AL-FASHIR, Sudan, Mar.9 -- Recently, the Chinese peacekeepers to Darfur in Sudan were invited to an award ceremony of the Pakistani peacekeeping troops at their infantry barrack in Kabkabiya.
At the invitation of the commander-in-chief of the Pakistani peacekeeping force, the Chinese peacekeepers attended the ceremony and also dispatched a helicopter to help transport multi-national peacekeeping officials of the United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) from Al Fashir to Kabkabiya, as well as two drones and four cameras to facilitate the filming of the ceremony.
The Pakistani and Chinese peacekeeping troops in Darfur are stationed in the same mission areas in Kabkabiya and Al Fashir, and therefore forged close friendship."We appreciate the attendance and assistance of Chinese peacekeepers. Pakistan and China have very friendly, close and special relations. Long live Pakistan-China friendship," said Lieutenant Colonel Niaz KhanJadoon, commander of the Pakistani peacekeeping infantry battalion.
The current Chinese peacekeeping force to Darfur in Sudan consists of the 15th peacekeeping engineer unit and the 3rd China Medium Utility Helicopter Unit (CMUHU03). Since the deployment to the mission area, they have completed various construction support and flight support tasks and were recognized as an "indispensable force" by the UNAMID.