The government of the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan will send medical missions to Mozambique, Cabo Verde and Guinea-Bissau next year, the SCOL.com website reports.

The Chinese website says the Chinese National Health Commission arranged for the medical missions. Each of the 35 medical staff involved has completed five months of training.

The report quotes a Sichuan health official, Zeng Huajun, as saying such missions play an important part in the Chinese diplomatic effort, and put China in a unique position on the international stage.

The three forthcoming missions will be, respectively, the 23rd Sichuan will have sent to Mozambique, the 19th it will have sent to Cabo Verde and 18th it will have sent to Guinea-Bissau, SCOL.com says.