Trade between China and Sudan is at an all time high and the
Sudanese, who want even closer ties with China, are annoyed at
attempts to drive a wedge between the two countries, Chinese
Ambassador to Sudan Zhang Dong said on Thursday.
"Political ties between China and Sudan are increasingly close,
and exchanges are expanding," Zhang told Xinhua in an interview on
the eve of a state visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao to Sudan
due on February 2-3.
"My personal feeling is that Sudanese officials and people are
grateful for China's help, and they are annoyed at attempts to
drive a wedge between Sudan and China," Ambassador Zhang said.
He said bilateral cooperation between China and Sudan was a
win-win situation, and this was proven by cooperation in the energy
sector.
"With China's fund and know-how, Sudan established a whole chain
from upstream sectors to downstream sectors in the oil sector in a
short period of time. Now, Sudan is self-sufficient in oil supply
and able to export oil to some extent. For China, Sudan becomes one
of oil suppliers," he said.
The two countries had much in common on regional and
international issues, and China has firmly supported efforts by the
Sudanese people to achieve national reconciliation and peace as
well as to safeguard national sovereignty and independence, the
ambassador said.
"China has spoken out for Sudan from a sense of justice on the
international arena and provided valuable support to Sudan, and
China never interferes in Sudan's internal affairs," he said.
"For its part, Sudan firmly adheres to the one-China policy and
sees China as a close and reliable friend," he said.
Sudan is one of a group of African and Arab countries to first
forge diplomatic ties with China 48 years ago, the ambassador
said.
He said there had been frequent high-level exchanges of visits.
Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir visited China in
1990 and 1995. He also attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on
China-Africa Cooperation held last November, when he and President
Hu held talks on ways to further promote friendship and cooperation
between the two countries.
Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has also been
developing rapidly in recent years. China is Sudan's largest
trading partner and Sudan is China's third largest trading partner
in Africa, Zhang said.
The two countries began cooperation in the oil sector in
mid-1990s. Thanks to joint efforts, Sudan transformed from an oil
importer to an emerging oil producer and oil exporter in a short
period of time, Zhang said.
The rapid development of the oil sector has stimulated the
overall growth of the Sudanese economy and raised Sino-Sudanese
economic and trade ties to a new high, the ambassador said.
Cooperation between the two countries in political, economic,
social, cultural and health areas has been fruitful over the past
decade, bringing about tangible benefits to the peoples of the two
countries, Zhang said.
Economic and trade cooperation between China and Sudan covers
electricity, irrigation, transportation and pharmaceuticals,
according to Zhang.
Rabia Atti, a senior official of the Sudanese Ministry of
Information and Communication, told Xinhua that Sudan gave a
special consideration to its ties with China, which it was willing
to enhance.
Atti, who is also head of the Publicity Department of the ruling
National Congress, said claims China actions in Sudan amounted to
neo-colonialism were sheer lies that could not be marketed in
Sudan.
"We gain more from bilateral cooperation than China," he said,
adding that such cooperation enables Sudan to develop its own
economy and strengthen political stability and take a higher
standing in the African continent, the Arab world and the
international community.
"We want to redouble our cooperation with China in all fields,
and that is what we are thinking about," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2007)
