Visiting
Chinese President Hu Jintao yesterday held talks in Khartoum with his Sudanese
counterpart Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir and they pledged to raise Sino-Sudanese
bilateral relationship to a new high.
During the talks, the two leaders had frank, in-depth and fruitful
discussions on bilateral ties and major regional and international issues and
reached consensus.
The two leaders praised the smooth development of Sino-Sudanese relations. Hu
said that Sudan was one of the first group of African and Arab countries to have
established diplomatic ties with China, and 43 years ago, then Chinese Premier
Zhou Enlai visited Sudan, thus ushering in a new chapter in bilateral ties.
Hu said the peoples of the two countries have trusted each other and forged a
sincere and friendly relationship over the past decades, and bilateral ties have
stood the test of the changing international situation.
Thanks to the joint efforts, bilateral cooperation in various areas has been
progressing in recent years, enriching bilateral ties and bringing about
tangible benefit to the people of the two countries, he added.
Al-Bashir said that Sudanese-Chinese ties, based on equality and mutual
respect, have set a model for state-to-state cooperation, and both countries
have benefited from their increasingly close economic and trade ties.
Sudan is grateful for China's long-standing support for economic and social
development in Sudan, he said, adding that the two countries have maintained
close coordination and consultation on regional and international issues.
Al-Bashir reiterated that Sudan has adhered to the one-China policy and
opposed any attempt to separate Taiwan from China.
Hu said that China is the most populous country in the world and Sudan is the
largest country in Africa. In this connection, the growth of Sino-Sudanese
friendship and cooperation in an all-round way conforms to the fundamental
interests of the two countries and their peoples, and will also be conducive to
promoting cooperation among developing countries and peace and development in
Africa and the world at large, Hu added.
To consolidate and advance Sino-Sudanese friendship and cooperation is a set
policy of the Chinese government, he said.
Hu also made proposals on promotion of bilateral cooperation in a variety of
areas.
He said that it was important to consolidate traditional friendship between
the two countries and promote mutual trust in the political field, and to
maintain high-level exchanges of visits between the two countries to promote
mutual understanding and expand consensus, and have more exchanges between
governmental departments, legislatures and political parties, and to strengthen
coordination and cooperation in bilateral ties and major regional and
international issues.
He said that it was important to deepen bilateral cooperation for the sake of
both sides, adding that the Chinese side is ready to expand its cooperation with
Sudan in the areas of telecommunication, irrigation, energy and infrastructure,
in a bidto advance bilateral economic and trade cooperation and seek a win-win
situation.
Hu said that it was also important to enhance cooperation in human resources,
vocational training, health and culture.
He added that it was important to strengthen bilateral cooperation within the
framework of the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation and to fully implement eight
measures announced by China to support development of African countries.
Al-Bashir also briefed Hu on the situation in Sudan. The Sudanese president
said that major progress has been made in the peace process in Sudan over the
past two years, and the country has witnessed peace accords concerning the north
and the south, the eastern part and the western region of Darfur.
Sudan is thankful for China's support for peace and stability in Sudan, he
said.
President Hu said that the Chinese side was pleased to see that Sudan has
scored remarkable achievements in national reconciliation, economic development
and the people's standard of living.
The north and the south achieved a peace agreement last year, and the
Sudanese government then signed accords with several factions in the north, east
and west, thus promoting social stability in the country and ensuring its
economic growth, Hu added.
President Hu flew into Khartoum from the Liberian capital of Monrovia after a
one-day visit.