Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Zhou Yuxiao has said his country is a responsible and faithful member of the United Nations and it respects the resolutions adopted by the world body.

In a weekend interview with Xinhua, Ambassador Zhou expressed his confidence that the Chinese peacekeepers serving within the United Nations Mission in Liberia would remain in the country up to 2011 when the Liberians would go to polls to elect a new president.

The ambassador said the Chinese peacekeepers here in Liberia are working under the leadership and guidance of the UN mission.

"As far as I know, the United Nations has decided that UNMIL (the United Nations Mission in Liberia) will stay in Liberia until 2011, and supporting Liberian general election is part of UNMIL mandate."

Ambassador Zhou said there could be a small reduction in the size of the Chinese peacekeeping forces in the country, but the troops would remain in Liberia to provide the needed support up to 2011 under the UN Mission.

"As part of the UN Peacekeeping force, the Chinese peacekeepers will certainly play its role in supporting the next elections," he said.

The current Chinese peacekeepers are drawn up in three contingents namely medical, transportation and engineering. He said during the Liberian forthcoming elections, obviously the electoral authority will need transportation support which the Chinese unit can assist with.

Ambassador Zhou said although China does not have a combat troop in the mission, but he is confident that the three contingents can play a positive role in the peacekeeping efforts as well as in supporting the forthcoming elections.

"China has always supported the UN endeavors in maintaining peace and stability in Liberia and my view is that the peacekeeping operation in Liberia has so far been successful and we should allow it to stay so," he added.

(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2009)