China working to remove external obstacles facing cooperation with Sudan: diplomat
May 15, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – China’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Ming Sunday said his country seeks to remove “external obstacles” facing economic and trade cooperation with Sudan.
The Chinese diplomat underscored that those problems were caused by external factors, saying his country seeks to overcome them.
The visiting Chinese official was alluding to the impact of the economic and trade sanctions imposed by Washington on Sudan since 1997.
Ming pointed that the Chinese minister of agriculture and the productive capacity official would visit Sudan in the coming period, demanding Khartoum to make proposals that could be implemented within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
BRI is a development strategy and framework launched in 2013 by Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries in Asia, Europe and Africa.
The Chinese diplomat stressed that his country would continue to support Sudan in the international forums against the “tendentious allegations and political agendas” which aims to hinder Sudan’s development projects and exports.
He added that the meeting also discusses the situations in Sudan’s neighbouring countries, saying the Sudanese side laid efforts it exerted to restore peace and stability in South Sudan, Libya and the Horn region.
According to Ming, the two sides further discussed ways to unify the visions on the United Nations and the Security Council reform.
For his part, Sudan’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail said the two sides agreed to enhance oil, agriculture and industrial cooperation.
China has been Sudan’s largest foreign investor particularly in oil and telecommunications after western firms shunned the East African nation due to conflicts and sanctions.
(ST)