China to join U.N. peacekeeping in Sudan

BEIJING, March 31 (UPI) -- China will send military and medical personnel to join U.N. peacekeeping operations in Sudan, the Foreign Ministry has announced.

Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a statement Wednesday that China would join the international community in helping bring peace and stability to Sudan.

China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, voted on March 25 in favor of Resolution 1590, which authorized the deployment of peacekeeping forces in Sudan to implement a peace agreement.

Liu said his country would send military engineering, medical and transport teams, plus military observers, civilian policemen and political officials as part of the U.N. mission.