BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- In the past 14 years, six Chinese servicemen lost their lives and dozens wounded in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations, says a white paper issued by the Information Office of the State Council on Monday.

    China has consistently supported and actively participated in the peacekeeping operations that are consistent with the spirit of the UN Charter, and will continue to support the reform of the UN peacekeeping missions, hoping to strengthen the UN capability in preserving peace, says the white paper titled China's National Defense in 2004.

    According to the white paper, China has sent 3,362 military personnel to 13 UN peacekeeping operations since its first dispatch of military observers to such operations in 1990.

    At present, 845 personnel from the People's Liberation Army are working in eight UN peacekeeping task areas, including 66 military observers, three staff officers at the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and personnel in engineering, medical and transportation units to Congo (Kinshasa) and Liberia.

    Since January 2000, China has sent 404 policemen to the peacekeeping operations in six UN peacekeeping task areas, the white paper says.

    China devotes itself to promoting international security dialogues and cooperation of all forms in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, says the white paper.

    In recent years, China has intensified strategic consultation and dialogues with countries concerned in security and defense fields, and vigorously pushed forward the building of a security dialogue and cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region.

    The nation has also established military relations with more than 150 countries in the world, says the white paper. Enditem