Wan Dong, an official at the Ministry of National Defence, said eight Chinese military personnel including Du have died in the UN peacekeeping mission since 1990.

Since 1978, more than 250 UNIFIL military or civilian personnel have died on duty.

Wang said China has sent about 5,600 personnel to 15 UN peacekeeping missions since 1990, contributing the most troops among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

China now has more than 1,400 soldiers serving in UN peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sudan.