China has played an active and constructive role in resolving
the Darfur issue, a spokesman for the African Union (AU) in Sudan's
Darfur said recently.
"We have maintained contact and communication with China's
special envoy for Darfur on the Darfur issue because we considered
China as an active and effective partner," said Noureddine Mezni, a
spokesman for the AU, in a recent interview with Xinhua.
A professor of politics from Khartoum University said China not
only played its part in resolving the Darfur issue but also exerted
an active role in realizing peace in southern Sudan.
China has sent troops to join the hybrid UN-African Union
peacekeeping force in southern Sudan and has developed into a
reliable force there to achieve peace and development, he
added.
Meanwhile, Sudanese Energy and Mining Minister Awad Ahmed al-Jaz
praised the Chinese government for showing a pragmatic manner in
settling the Darfur issue.
Li Chengwen, Chinese ambassador to Sudan, said recently that
China's efforts to help resolve the Darfur issue were in line with
its policy to assist African countries in realizing peace and
development.
During Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's visit to China
to attend the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa
cooperation last November and Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit
to Sudan in February, the two leaders exchanged views on the Darfur
issue. China has also actively participated in the United Nations
discussion on Darfur and contributed to the adoption of UN
Resolution 1769, said Li.
Since assuming his post in May, China's special envoy for Darfur
Liu Guijin has visited the Darfur region several times and traveled
to Libya for negotiations on Darfur issue.
China has dispatched an engineering unit to join the UN-African
Union peacekeeping force in Darfur and more engineers will be
deployed in the region soon.
China has also provided humanitarian and development assistance
to the Darfur region. The first three batches of assistance goods
have arrived in Darfur and the fourth and fifth bathes would be
sent there soon.
According to Li, China has been actively involved in development
and construction in the Darfur region to promote the settlement of
the Darfur issue.
For example, one Chinese company has completed a water supply
project in southern Darfur which will also be utilized by the
UN-African Union mission while another Chinese company is supplying
water to northern Darfur. The Chinese companies in Sudan have also
hired a large number of employees from the Darfur region in a bid
to improve the living condition of many local families.
(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2007)
