The United Nations Mission In Liberia (UNMIL) awarded UN Peace Medal to the Chinese Civilian Police Contingent on Friday in Monrovia for their performance in peacekeeping in Liberia.

Souren Seraydarian, acting special representative of the UN secretary general, accompanied by Lin Songtian, Chinese ambassador to Liberia, and Mark Kroeker, police commissioner of the International Police Service presented the medal to the 25 Chinese civilian police.

The Chinese contingent in UNMIL currently consists of 25 officers, among whom, nine had served in UN missions in East Timorand Bosnia. They are praised as professional officers and highly disciplined and devoting to their duties.

The Chinese policemen participated comprehensively in all fields of civilian police operations like joint-patrols, advising and mentoring local police in depots, zones and outlying countries, reforming and restructuring Liberia National Police and other security agencies, training local police and internal administration.

Starting from 1999, China has contributed more than 300 civilian police officers to UN missions in East Timor, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Liberia and Haiti.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2004)