China's armed forces have dispatched 5,872 personnel to 15 UN peacekeeping missions since 1990, making it the biggest contributor to peacekeeping missions among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a senior officer said Thursday.

Zhang Qinsheng, assistant to the chief of the general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said in a Website interview on Thursday that there are still 1,487 Chinese peacekeepers in eight UN mission areas.

"Participation in peacekeeping tasks is our mission," Zhang told the official website of the Year of Russia in China (www.xinhuanet.com/2006russia).

The UNSC permanent members also include the United States, Russia, France and Britain.

Earlier this month, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged to increase the the number of Chinese peacekeeping force in Lebanon from about 180 to 1,000 personnel, making it the largest Chinese peacekeeping force yet.

Chinese peacekeeping forces include observers, police, engineers, doctors and transport staff as well as soldiers, and they have been doing their missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Lebanon and Sudan.

"China's participation in UN peacekeeping missions contributed to regional and world peace and has been praised by international organizations and the countries concerned," Zhang said.

Source: Xinhua