ADDIS ABABA, July 26 (Xinhua) -- A senior colonel at the Chinese Mission to the African Union (AU) reiterated China's commitment to promoting global peace and security and supporting Africa's endeavors here on Thursday.
Wang Ximao said at the reception organized by the mission to celebrate the 92nd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) that the Chinese PLA has participated in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations, escorted anti-piracy missions and engaged in international humanitarian rescue and assistance.
Over the years, the Chinese PLA has participated in 24 UN peacekeeping missions, 16 of which were in Africa, and among 39,000 peacekeeping troops that it has dispatched, 32,000 of them have been deployed on the African continent, Wang said.
"As I speak now, more than 2,000 Chinese troops are defending peace and protecting civilians in such African countries as DR Congo, Mali, Sudan and South Sudan," he said.
They are "highly recognized by the local and international community," he added.
He also recalled that the PLA was among the first to respond to West Africa's Ebola outbreak.
He said that the world has become closely interconnected as never before in history, and China proposed to build a community with a shared future for mankind and advocates a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept.
China will continue to support the AU in the union's efforts for peace and security, including the development of the African Standby Force, Wang said.
"We stand ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Ethiopian national defense force," Wang added.
