19 second lieutenants completed a seven-week course in mine clearing with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Nanjing on the 9th of November, capital of Jiangsu province.

The PLA University of Science and Technology has run the biennial minesweeper program since 1999 and trained 300 troops from 15 countries, mainly in Africa and Asia.

The latest batch, which graduated yesterday, is the first to include personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan, where land mines remain a daily threat to soldiers and citizens.

Afghan army ordnance teams cleared 82,000 anti-personnel mines and 900 anti-vehicle mines in the war-torn Central Asian nation last year, although hundreds of minefields still remain, according to the United States Global Strategic Network.

China has been active in the reconstruction of Afghanistan since the United States invaded the country following the 9/11 terror attacks on New York City and the Pentagon in Washington.

"Chinese analysts have already started to discuss how Beijing could increase its involvement in the anti-terror fight in Afghanistan, with many suggesting more assistance in helping the nation improve skill levels and technical abilities.

Video: Peng Kuang / Editor: Huan CAO

Related story: Clearing the way for peace