KHARTOUM - Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is currently on a visit to Sudan, has told his counterpart President Omar Hassan al-Bashir that the conflict in Darfur has to be resolved as soon as possible, Reuters quoted a person close to the talks as saying.
Hu and al-Bashir had a long talk about the level of Sino-Sudan relationship and expressed happiness over the progress achieved so far.
Xinhua reported that the two leaders had “frank, in-depth and fruitful discussions on bilateral ties." China is a big customer of Sudan as far as crude oil imports are concerned. In a released statement after the meeting Hu made no reference to Darfur.
The statement said that Hu hoped this would be the beginning of a new phase in the partnership between the two countries. "I am confident this visit will facilitate a strengthening of the traditional friendship between China and Sudan and bring cooperation between the countries to a new level," he said in the statement. However he did say that China would allot $4.8 million in aid for Darfur.
The Islamic government in Sudan is currently reeling under US sanctions and has had to rely on China to invest in the oil sector to maintain an output of 330,000 barrels per day.
China has built an oil refinery north of Khartoum and Hu was scheduled to visit there. Hundreds of Chinese workers had gathered to meet him there. Hu is on an an eight-nation African tour and will leave Sudan on Sunday.
