By Ding Wendong and Liu Pan

BEIRUT, Apr. 27 -- The 19th Chinese peacekeeping multi-functional engineer contingent to Lebanon successfully passed the 2021 annual defense capability assessment conducted by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on April 26.

The defense capability assessment, an annual routine inspection and assessment of peacekeeping forces conducted by the UN, serves to provide a key budget reference for the defense capability building of the peacekeeping forces from various countries.

This assessment was carried out by a team of 12 officials of the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) under the UNIFIL Command in the Chinese peacekeeping camp located in the Hinnieh village of south Lebanese. In accordance with UN general criterion, they inspected the troops through listening to briefings, consulting software materials, on-site inspections, and oral questions & answers.

After nearly four-hour rigorous inspection, the UNEG spoke highly of the contingent’s sophisticated weapons and equipment, elaborate documentation, and excellent professional capabilities. After view exchange, the UNEG unanimously determined that the Chinese peacekeeping multi-functional engineer contingent to Lebanon passed the annual defense capability evaluation of 2021.

According to Zhang Yakun, chief of the Combat and Engineering Division under the UNIFIL Command and head of the evaluation group, the Chinese multi-functional engineer contingent has strictly implemented various defensive measures in complying with relevant standards and regulations, and run well in terms of defense capabilities.