China hails role of Sudanese president in development

November 20, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – A visiting Chinese official hailed the role played by Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir in transforming his country in terms of development.

“As an old friend of the Sudanese president, I got a full sense of the profound changes that have taken place in Sudan under your leadership as soon as I stepped on Sudanese soil” said Zhou Yongkang, a member of the standing committee of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Political Bureau and secretary of the Central Political and Legal Committee.

“This morning I visited the Khartoum Oil Refinery. Ten years ago it was a mere construction site. Today it is covered with one modern plant after another” he said after a meeting with Bashir.

China buys a third of its oil exports from Sudan and has invested heavily in the country’s infrastructure while also maintaining a status as Sudan’s largest arm supplier.

The rising world power has been criticized by Western countries and human right groups for shielding Khartoum from tougher UN Security Council actions with regard to the Darfur crisis.

But Beijing hit back saying it believes in quiet diplomacy as opposed to sanctions and reiterated its long standing policy of non-interference in other countries affairs.

“We have always unswervingly treated each other with respect, sincerity, and friendliness on the basis of equality and mutual benefit and our two counties’ traditional friendship has consolidated and deepened ceaselessly. As developing countries, China and Sudan are faced with many similar tasks and challenges and share broad common interests” the Chinese official said.

The Sudanese president on his end hailed the strong ties between his country and China saying the latter has made “important contributions to the development of Africa”.

Bashir also thanked China for its consistent support for Sudan’s effort to preserve unity and stability and said that Sudan would fully put into effect the peace agreement with the various ethnic groups and further advance the process of ethnic reconciliation.

On the same day Yongkang and Bashir attended the ceremony to mark the launching of direct flights between China and Sudan by the Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines and the unveiling of the Confucius Institute at Khartoum University. Bashir also hosted a banquet at the Presidential Palace to warmly welcome Zhou Yongkang and his entourage.

(ST)