China has refuted comments made by a US-based NGO, which criticized Chinese U.N. peacekeeping troops in South Sudan. The Chinese Defense Ministry's spokesman Yang Yujun on Tuesday, called the claims "groundless and malicious hype."

A report from the Washington-based "Center for Civilians in Conflict", criticized Chinese peacekeeping troops in South Sudan for abandoning their posts during conflicts in the country’s capital Juba in July.

Yang said Chinese peacekeepers had stuck to their task of defending the U.N. Mission headquarters and a refugee camp nearby. Two Chinese soldiers were killed and five others were injured when their vehicle was attacked. The next day, Chinese peacekeepers protected refugees and exchanged fire with militants who penetrated the refugee camp.

The spokesman also noted that the U.N. is carrying out an investigation into the performance of the peacekeeping force in South Sudan. He added that before the results are released, any groundless criticism of the peacekeeping mission and peacekeepers themselves is irresponsible.