Liberia on Wednesday expressed appreciation for China's help to Liberia through the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.

 

"China contributed enormously to the UN peacekeeping operations in Liberia, " Liberian Defense Minister Brownie Samukai told his Chinese counterpart Cao Gangchuan on Wednesday.

 

Cao welcomed Samukai at a ceremony before they held talks that lasted 90 minutes in Beijing.

 

"China-Liberia relations have turned over a new leaf since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties in 2003," Cao said.

 

Military exchanges and cooperation have since been carried out smoothly, he said.

 

Samukai said he appreciates the work of Chinese officers involved in UN peacekeeping operations in Liberia.

 

"Excellent doctors and engineers have been sent to my country," Samukai said.

 

More than 500 Chinese officers participated in the UN peacekeeping operations in Liberia, including engineers, doctors and transportation staff.

 

So far, China, the largest peace-keeping force contributor of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, has dispatched more than 5,000 soldiers to UN peacekeeping missions. There are still 1,489 Chinese UN peace-keepers on duty at nine UN missions.

 

Lu Yongxiang, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's legislature, on Wednesday also met with Samukai.

 

Samukai vowed his country will maintain its one-China stance.

 

"Liberia stands by the one-China policy, that is the policy we will pursue," Brownie Samukai said.

 

Lu appreciated the Liberian government's adherence to the one-China policy.

 

China and Liberia resumed diplomatic ties in October 2003.

 

China would like to work with Liberia to upgrade cooperation, Lu said.

 

Invited by Cao, Samukai started his first visit to China on Friday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2006)