UN Peacekeepers: Decades of sacrifice

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‍"I was scared at first," Li Junying said.

The 25-year-old Chinese is tasked with disarming landmines in southern Lebanon, where over half a million were left by Israel, according to Xinhua.

It is not an easy job.

A Chinese peacekeeper in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) searches for idle mines scattered along the UN Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon, Feb. 5, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

Only rough locations of the landmines are given, yet anything from rainfall to passing animals could move their positions.

Every single second, his life is put at stake.

He is a United Nations peacekeeper, one of the more than 400 Chinese military troops deployed to Lebanon. They are responsible for overseeing the sensitive area by the Mediterranean Sea.

A Chinese peacekeeper with the UNIFIL carefully clears the dirt covering a landmine planted along the UN Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon, Feb. 5, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

But it's not just the high-risk mission that pains him. Li is lonely.

Young as he is, this is actually Li's second time on a mission in Lebanon. He first arrived when he was only 20 with a mission to clear out explosives.

He misses his parents. He misses home.

May 29: Int'l Day of UN Peacekeepers

May 29, 2018, marks the 70th anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping, under the theme "UN Peacekeepers: 70 years of Service and Sacrifice."

Screenshot from United Nations' official website

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to attend a wreath-laying ceremony in the UN headquarters in New York in honor of all peacekeepers who have lost their lives during their missions.

According to the United Nations' official website, the UN peacekeeping force was established with a goal of "helping countries torn by conflict to create the conditions for lasting peace."

The very first mission was carried out on May 29, 1948, when a small number of soldiers were sent to the Middle East, monitoring the Armistice Agreement of the Arabic countries.

July 25, 2016: UN peacekeepers engage with South Sudanese women and children before emergency supplies are distributed at a protection of civilians site in Juba. /Reuters Photo

Over seven decades, more than one million UN peacekeeping forces have left their mark in 71 operations, impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people and saving countless innocent lives.

Among troop providers, China plays an important role, as UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix told Xinhua. China's contribution to UN peacekeeping mission is "extremely important," he said.

China: Firmly backbones UN peacekeeping

Since 1990, the year when China joined the peacekeeping mission, the country has provided more than 35,000 personnel deployed in a number of countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Mali.

Screenshot from United Nations' twitter handle

In honor of China's contributions, the United Nations has released an appreciation video, which details the Chinese peacekeepers' efforts in achieving lasting peace in many regions.

The United Nations pointed out that China, on average, contributes more troops to UN peacekeeping mission than any other permanent member of the UN Security Council, given the fact that China is also the second largest financial contributor to the program.

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The troops China sent out are well-trained, and have impressed many.

"I was deeply impressed by the quality of the Chinese contingent, qualified people and quality equipment –this is very important," Lacroix said.

China is not stopping its efforts; it vows to do more.

September 28, 2015: Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during the UN Leaders’ Summit on Peacekeeping. /CGTN Photo

During the 2015 UN Peacekeeping Summit, President Xi Jinping pledged that China would establish a 10-year 1-billion-US-dollar peace and development fund to support the UN work, set up a permanent peacekeeping police squad, and build a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops.

Xi also vowed to launch 10 minesweeping assistance programs for the next five years during the summit.