Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz (right), commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),visits the camp of Chinese peacekeepers in southern Lebanon on March 28.

BEIRUT, April 1 -- Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz, head of mission and force commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), said during his visit to the Chinese peacekeeping camp that Chinese peacekeepers have played an important role in maintaining peace in southern Lebanon.

He also praised the performance of the Chinese peacekeepers during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that their work efficiency did not decline during the pandemic, and they had actively supported the local people and helped them minimize the impact of the pandemic on their lives.

The 20th Chinese peacekeeping force to Lebanon was deployed to the mission area in August 2021. It consists of a multi-role engineering contingent, a construction engineering contingent, and a medical contingent. The mission period is one year. Since China began sending peacekeeping forces to Lebanon in 2006, more than 7,000 peacekeepers have made great contributions to maintaining peace and stability in southern Lebanon.

The picture shows Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz (fourth from the front left), commander of the UNIFIL, visiting the Chinese peacekeeping camp in the south Lebanese village of Hinnieh on March 28.