A military company of more than 240 Chinese soldiers is now well prepared to carry out peacekeeping missions in the war-torn West African nation of Liberia and is waiting for departure orders from the United Nations.

　　According to the General Logistics Department of the People's Liberation Army of China, the company will be responsible for transporting other peacekeeping troops near the Liberian capital of Monrovia.

　　The mission is at the request of the United Nations and has been approved by the Chinese government and the Central Military Commission. A transportation regiment of the PLA is responsible for the selection of officers and soldiers.

　　"The company will reside near Monrovia." said Wang Huijun, a senior colonel with the General Logistics Department of the PLA."As peace keepers, we are asked never to fire the first shot, but safety is our first principle," said Wang.

　　"They will have bullet-proof vests, steel helmets, gas masks, sterilizing trucks, and modern monitoring and night vision equipment," he said.

　　In the past year, the company has received intensive training in shooting, field survival, land mine removal and first aid.The company was established on December 30, 2002.

　　China joined the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations in September 1988 and sent its first "blue-helmet" company to Cambodia in 1992.