The 140 officers and soldiers of the third China Medium Utility Helicopter Unit (CMUHU03), a peacekeeping contingent to Sudan's Darfur, were awarded UN peace medals by the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) on Thursday.
In a congratulatory message sent to the CMUHU03, Force Commander of the UNAMID Muriuki Ngondi hailed the unit's important role in peacekeeping operations in the region, calling the officers and soldiers "excellent Chinese emissaries in Darfur."
Since the CMUHU03 was deployed in Darfur in August last year, the contingent has accomplished over 60 tasks such as air patrol in unfamiliar places, personnel movement and casualty evacuation, carrying out 172 sorties safely. It is hailed as an "indispensable air force" by the UNAMID.
As of June 2020, China had contributed 370 peacekeeping troops to the UNAMID, which was established in 2007, according to the official website of UN Peacekeeping.
Over the past 30 years, China's armed forces have contributed over 40,000 officers and soldiers to 25 UN peacekeeping missions.
Currently, China has over 2,500 peacekeepers serving in UN peacekeeping missions, more than any other permanent member of the Security Council.
The country pays 15 percent of the UN peacekeeping budget and 12 percent of the UN regular budget, making it the second largest financial contributor following the United States.