China offered to send 500 troops to Mali

China has offered to send 500 troops to Mali as part of the mission of peacekeeping UN. It would be, if this offer materializes, the largest participation from Beijing to a UN operation. 

 
A contingent of 500 Chinese military could swell the UN forces in Mali, according to diplomats at the United Nations in New York. Beijing has offered to help while tracking Islamist continues in the country.

If sending the soldiers to happen, it will then be more significant Chinese contribution to the UN mission. Long refractory missions peacekeeping, she considered unjustified interference, China now has about 2,000 men committed to the United Nations.

For now, the number of Chinese soldiers could incorporate Integrated UN Mission for Stabilization in Mali (Minusma) is not yet known. However, a UN official quoted by AFP assured that at least 155 of them are likely to be engineers.

China plays the card of appeasement

Many experts interpret the proposal by China as an attempt to ease tensions with the West over the conflict in Syria - Beijing has so far opposed to any UN resolution against the regime of Bashar al Assad - and as a way to strengthen its relations in Africa, a continent with which it has significant business relationships.

To date, 6,500 African troops, mainly from countries in West Africa and Chad, are already in Mali and should be integrated with some 12,600 peacekeepers Minusma. France, which launched a military operation in January to dislodge Islamist rebellion in the north of the country, wants to quickly pass out to troops peacekeeping UN.

(Source FRANCE 24 with dispatches)