ZHENGZHOU - A group of 165 Chinese peacekeepers left Zhengzhou, the capital city of Central China's Henan province, for South Sudan Tuesday on a one-year mission.

The peacekeepers, consisting of a sapper team of 133 and a medical unit of 32, are the first group of a 331-strong battalion sent by China for the mission.

The team will be tasked with repairing roads, bridges, and airports, constructing and maintaining barracks and shelters, building facilities for water, power and heating supplies, and providing engineering support in mission areas.

The medical unit will carry out tasks including treating common and infectious diseases and performing operations and vaccinations.

The second group of the battalion are scheduled to depart on Sept 23 from Zhengzhou.