Five Chinese policemen are leaving for Bosnia and Herzegovina soon on a peace-keeping mission, said sources with China's Ministry of Public Security Thursday.

This will be the first time for China to send peace-keeping police outside Asia.

When meeting with the five policemen, Public Security Minister Jia Chunwang urged them to adopt a strong sense of duty and responsibility. He hoped that their work would help portray a good image of Chinese police.

China sent 55 peace-keeping policemen to East Timor within the United Nations framework last year.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan had written to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, announcing that China would dispatch policemen to Bosnia and Herzegovina at the request of the UN.

(Xinhua 01/04/2000)