Advance group of China´s sixth riot squad arrives in Haiti

Source: Xinhua | 12-06-2007 09:47

A 30-member advance group of China's sixth riot squad to Haiti arrived at their base in Port-au-Prince, capital of the Caribbean country, on Tuesday, December 4, 2007. [Photo: Xinhua]

A 30-member advance group of the sixth riot squad that China has sent to Haiti arrived Tuesday at their base in Port-au-Prince, capital of the Caribbean country.

The advance group will immediately start handover process with their predecessors, and the other 95 riot policemen will be arriving on Dec. 13.

The 125-strong riot police have received four-month training in peacekeeping knowledge, language, driving, shooting and tactics in Langfang of North China's Hebei Province.

Liu Jianhong, head of the squad, told Xinhua that all of the riot policemen are experienced narcotic enforcement officers from southwest China's Yunnan Province.

He cited Li Qin, a senior officer of the squad, as a hero in the fight against drug trafficking, with experiences in cracking down some major drug-trafficking cases.

Liu and the deputy leader of the squad Yang Tianyu, are both veterans who served in riot squad in Haiti. "The squad needs veterans familiar with conditions here, which makes operations, training and liaison easier," Yang told reporters, but he said each assignment will be a new experience for him rather than a repeat of the routine.

The base in Port-au-Prince is no stranger to many of the newcomers. Female police officer Peng Xiaoliang said they have watched a lot of video clips of the base during the training, and found the base quite familiar.

While liaison officer He Zhihong, told Xinhua that the base is much better than expected, thanks to the efforts by previous groups to improve living conditions.

A 30-member advance group of China's sixth riot squad to Haiti arrived at their base in Port-au-Prince, capital of the Caribbean country, on Tuesday, December 4, 2007. [Photo: Xinhua]

Editor:Du Xiaodan