BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) A group of 163 Chinese peacekeepers on Tuesday left Beijing for South Sudan on a one-year mission.

The peacekeepers, consisting of a sapper team of 130 and a medical unit of 33, are the first group of a 331-strong battalion sent by China for the mission.

The sapper team will handle tasks including maintaining and upgrading supply routes, repairing runways at airports, building shelters and providing engineering support in mission areas.

The medical unit will be tasked with providing basic healthcare services, treating common and infectious diseases, performing operations and vaccinations and more.

The second group of the battalion is scheduled to depart from Beijing on Sept. 25.