BEIJING, Dec. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- China is gradually increasing its participation in peacekeeping operations of the United Nations, said a senior official of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday.

    Dai Shao'an, deputy director of the Peacekeeping Affairs Office of the ministry, said the Chinese army have sent more than 2,000 servicemen to participate in 11 peacekeeping operations of the UN by the end of 2003.

    Dai said that thanks to the excellent performance of Chinese peacekeeping forces, the UN has repeatedly expressed the desire to have more Chinese participation in peacekeeping operations.

    China has decided to send a 550-member peacekeeping force to Liberia at the request of the UN's special representative on the Liberian issue. Sixty of them left China for that African war-torn country on Tuesday.

    The Chinese Government has consistently attached great importance to and supported the UN in maintaining world peace and security under the principles of the United Nations Charter. It is ready to make more contributions in the future, said Dai.

    China officially established its first blue helmet troops, a military engineering brigade, for UN peacekeeping operations in Cambodia in April 1992. Enditem