On Thursday a 30-strong team of Chinese riot police departed by plane for Haiti as part of a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

The detachment, part of a 125-strong team of riot police, is China's fourth deployment to Haiti and is expected to be stationed in the Caribbean country for eight months.

The team includes combat troops, logistics, medical and communications personnel, said a source with the Ministry of Public Security.

Members of the group, who have an average age of 28, were selected from border police units in the southeastern province of Fujian. They'll replace the third team of peacekeepers who left Beijing in December.

The peacekeepers have had language, use of arms, driving and combat skills training, said the police authority. They added that the team had been appraised by United Nations officials.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2006)