By Kong Kangyi and Li Zhulin
BEIRUT, Aug. 4 -- The 20th and 21st Chinese peacekeeping forces to Lebanon held a ceremony of force command handover in the barracks of the Chinese peacekeeping force in the city of Tyre in Southern Lebanon on August 3, local time.
More than 160 persons attended the event, including Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz, Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian, representatives from the Lebanese military and government, and the Chinese peacekeepers.
At the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Lázaro reviewed the Chinese peacekeeping troops, then took the United Nations flag from Ye Fangchao, commander of the 20th Chinese peacekeeping force to Lebanon, and handed it over to Yan Xiaoliang, commander of the 21st Chinese peacekeeping force, marking the successful troop rotation and force command handover of the two batches of Chinese peacekeeping force.
Maj. Gen. Lázaro applauded the contributions made by the Chinese peacekeepers to the peace and stability in Southern Lebanon. He said that the members of the 20th Chinese peacekeeping force have effectively boosted the realization of the UNIFIL’s goal of maintaining a calm and stable environment, their efforts have made a substantial and positive impact on the local people.
Since officially assuming duties in August 2021, the 20th Chinese peacekeeping force to Lebanon has completed with high standards the tasks of mine clearance and explosive disposal, engineering construction, medical rescue and humanitarian assistance. All 410 members were awarded the UN medal of peace.
As the replacement, the 21st Chinese peacekeeping force to Lebanon has a total of 410 members, consisting of a 180-member multi-role engineering contingent, a 200-member construction engineering contingent and a 30-member medical contingent. The first echelon composed of 205 peacekeepers arrived in Lebanon on July 28, the second echelon is scheduled to set out from China in early August.
