Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, speaking in Shanghai on Tuesday afternoon, outlined his view that the Darfur issue now stands "at a crucial moment" and that relevant parties should enter political peace talks as quickly as possible.

Wen was speaking at the African Development Bank annual meeting in Shanghai, adding that consultations must be maintained between the international community and the Sudanese government in a spirit of equality.

Ensuring that helping the Darfur people achieve peaceful co-existence and giving them a real shot at development is in the interests of Sudan and the whole of Africa, said Wen, adding that this formed the basis of China's efforts to resolve the issue.

Wen reminded the assembled dignitaries of the Chinese government's persistent and active work in Darfur, not only has it consistently provided humanitarian assistance but China has also dispatched several special envoys to the region.?

China, playing its part in the second phase of the Annan proposal, has also appointed a special envoy on African affairs and is preparing to deploy a 275-strong multifunctional engineering corps to the region as part of a UN support force.

The Annan proposal, developed by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, is a three-phase support plan which would see the African Union and UN assume command of a joint peacekeeping force in the Darfur region.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2007)