Deceased Chinese peacekeeper laid to rest in hometown

ZHENGZHOU -- The ashes of a Chinese peacekeeper, who was killed in a terrorist attack in Mali last month, were interred in a hero's cemetery on Monday in his hometown in Central China's Henan province.

Shen Liangliang, a 29-year-old First Sergeant, died in a terrorist attack on May 31 in the northern Malian town of Gao, when a car bomb detonated at a United Nations camp.

Shen was at a sentinel post at the time of the attack. Five other peacekeepers were injured. Shen's body was returned to China by military plane earlier this month.

Thousands of people lined the street to pay their respects as Shen's ashes were taken from the funeral home to the cemetery.

"Shen exhibited the great courage, dedication and heroic spirit of a Chinese soldier. He is the pride of our people," said Deng Kai, deputy secretary of the provincial Communist Party of China committee, at the funeral.

Shen was the youngest son of a farming family.

Since China joined the UN peacekeeping missions in 1990, over 31,000 Chinese officers and soldiers have taken part in 24 missions around the world.

At present, over 2,800 Chinese officers and soldiers are involved in active UN peacekeeping missions in nine mission regions, te largest amount among the five UN Security Council permanent members.