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China
Support for Mine Action
China provides international mine action assistance through the ministries of foreign affairs and defense. It provides support to mine-affected countries based on need, local conditions, and ensuring capacity-building and sustainability.[1] In 2008 it was reported the annual budget for mine action support was approximately CNY6 million (US$863,595).[2] Since then, China has not reported an annual financial contribution to mine action.
China however, contributes to international humanitarian demining operations by sending engineers to participate in UN peacekeeping operations in Lebanon, through the provision of demining equipment to mine-affected countries, and by training deminers through its humanitarian demining training course. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 1999 to 2008 China conducted eight humanitarian demining training programs for 360 trainees from 15 countries including Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Chad, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Thailand.[3] China does not report costs associated with these activities.
2009
China contributed CNY2 million ($292,796) to Colombia for mine clearance.[4]
In September 2009 China trained 38 deminers from Iraq and Afghanistan at the People’s Liberation Army University of Science and Technology in Nanjing, in Jiangsu province.[5]
January–March 2010
In January, China donated 70 mine detectors and accessories to Egypt.[6] China also sent four experts to Egypt to train local deminers.[7]
In March China provided 50 security kits for demining and 50 mine detectors worth LKR50 million ($438,197)[8] to Sri Lanka.[9]
Also in March, China sent a 106-member team to the DRC for an eight-month UN peacekeeping operation. This team was part of the 11th peace-keeping team sent by China to the DRC since 2003, and will be joined by a second team. The team, all from the Lanzhou Military Area Command, will carry out landmine detection as well as airport maintenance and medical care.[10]
[1] “Statement on Assistance in Mine Action by Chinese Delegation at the Fourth Committee of the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly,” 8 November 2009, www.china-un.ch.
[2] Interview with Shen Jian, Deputy Division Director, Department of Arms Control and Disarmament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing, 1 April 2008. Average exchange rate for 2008: CNY1=US$0.14393. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2009.
[3] “China trains deminers for nearly 20 countries,” Xinhua (Nanjing), 9 November 2009, news.xinhuanet.com.
[4] “UK steps out, China steps in,” 11 June 2009, www.bloggingsbyboz.com.
[5] “China trains deminers for nearly 20 countries,” Xinhua (Nanjing), 9 November 2009, news.xinhuanet.com.
[6] Jiang Xinghua, “China-made Mine sweeping tools used in UN peacekeeping missions,” China Security Blog.com, 9 March 2010, www.chinasecurityblog.com.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Average exchange rate for March 2010: LKR1=US$0.00876. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Monthly),” 3 May 2010.
[9] Government of Sri Lanka, “China helps in the de-mining task,” 2 March 2010, www.reliefweb.int.
[10] “Chinese soldiers leave for UN peace mission in DR Congo,” Xinhua (Lanzhou), news.xinhuanet.com.
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