China's military is considered to be one of the world's most secretive, but from Haiti to Sudan, more than 2,000 Chinese military and police personnel are now serving as United Nations peacekeepers.
About three-quarters of Chinese personnel working for the UN peacekeeping mission are deployed in Africa, with most of them working on infrastructure projects.
Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports from Beijing, where the government has signalled its willingness to deploy more soldiers in the future - including combat troops.
