The United Nations (UN) has reached out to China to take on its offer of contributing 8,000 troops for its peacekeeping operations in war-torn areas worldwide.

UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said on Thursday that the organization is pulling together a 15,000-strong peacekeeping reserve force for deployment to conflict areas. He praised Beijing for its generous offer of 8,000 standby force and several helicopters to bolster its mission.

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Ladsous declined to name the countries that will participate in the new peacekeeping reserve force but said he is scheduled to travel to China next month to talk about Beijing's offer.

"The goal we are pursuing is that, by the end of the year, we would have the capacity of 15,000 people ready for deployment within a very short period," he told reporters.

Remarkable

Ladsous said China's offer was 'remarkable' as he praised Beijing for contributing immensely to the establishment of the new reserve force for peacekeeping duties.

He thanked Beijing for sending peacekeepers to Sudan as well as contributing four helicopters to be used in peacekeeping missions.

Although Ladsous refused to name the country which has the largest contribution of military troops and police, China' s offer of 8,000 troops would put Beijing among the top nations with the biggest contribution.

There are 16 UN peacekeeping missions worldwide with more than 100,000 soldiers and police trained as peacekeepers.

Back to China

Meanwhile, China's 3rd contingent of 395 peacekeepers that were deployed to Mali returned to Beijing on Monday following the end of their mission in the West African nation.

"Chinese peacekeepers have boarded a plane back to China, happy that they have accomplished their mission of supporting Mali in restoring peace," a statement from the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said Monday.

The statement said the Chinese peacekeepers were each given a 'certificate of appreciation' for their mission work that lasted a year in the town of Gao.

A high-level Chinese military contingent supervising the troops in Mali also received a 'certificate of appreciation.'

"On behalf of the Chinese government, we thank you for the recognition of the contribution made by Chinese peacekeepers," Col. Li Xinhua, head of the delegation, said.  

TagsUN peacekeeping missions, Chinese peacekeepers, standby force, Sudan, Mali, china