China has made significant contributions to resolving the global landmine issue and has vowed to continue committing itself to international demining efforts, a senior Chinese official said Wednesday in Geneva.

"Since the ratification of the Amended Landmine Protocol [to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons] in 1998, China has been earnestly fulfilling its obligations under the Protocol," Hu Xiaodi, Ambassador on Disarmament Affairs of China, said at an international conference on the Amended Landmine Protocol.

"In the 1990s, China conducted two large-scale demining operations in the border areas, thus basically eliminating landmine problems within its borders. After the demarcation of the land border between China and Vietnam, to assist relevant work concerning border surveys and mark erecting, the Chinese army launched a new operation to clear mines in the former disputed areas that have been demarcated as Chinese territory," Hu said.

China has also been actively participating in international demining assistance operations, he added.

"In September 2005, the Chinese government launched the programme of demining assistance to Thailand. This programme mainly includes training the Thai demining personnel and donating demining equipment. At present, China is preparing to provide demining assistance to Lebanon," said the ambassador.

Exploring new approaches to push forward the international demining process, China has also kept close contact with relevant non-governmental organizations, such as International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining and International Red Cross.

Source: Xinhua