China and Sudan are traditionally friendly, their development strategies coincide, their economies are highly complementary, their public opinion foundation is solid, and their practical cooperation faces new historical opportunities
Sudan is located in the northeast of Africa, with a vast territory. It has been nearly four years since I set foot in the hot land of Sudan. I have personally felt the friendly enthusiasm and simple kindness of the Sudanese people, and witnessed the development and changes of Sudan and the ever-changing friendly relations between China and the Soviet Union.
I often wander along the bank of the Nile, watching the ripples of the Nile water, and thinking of the surging Yellow River and Yangtze River. The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are the birthplace of Chinese civilization and the symbol of the spirit and emotion of the Chinese nation; The confluence of the Blue Nile and the White Nile in Sudan has nourished the fertile soil on which the Sudanese people rely for survival. The splendid "two rivers" culture has created the understanding of each other's ideas and behaviors between the two countries.
The traditional friendship between China and Sudan has a long history. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1959, the friendly relations between the two countries in various fields have been developing steadily and healthily. They have always understood each other, cooperated with each other, and supported each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. The relationship between the two countries can be regarded as a model of South South cooperation. In the 1960s, Premier Zhou Enlai visited 10 African countries, including Sudan. It was the first time that a Chinese leader visited Africa. It was called the "pioneering trip" to establish a new type of China Africa relations in the diplomatic history of New China, and it also opened a beautiful chapter for China Sudan relations. China has long provided assistance to Sudan's economic and social development to the best of its ability, including a series of projects well known in Sudan, such as the Friendship Hall, which was built with Chinese assistance, as well as economic and livelihood projects such as building hospitals, schools, roads and bridges for Sudan, and the "Bright Walk" for cataract patients.
In 2015, President Xi Jinping and President Bashir of Sudan jointly announced the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries, and bilateral relations entered a new historical stage. In 2017, China continued to maintain its position as Sudan's largest trading partner. The annual trade volume between China and the Sudan was 2.8 billion US dollars, accounting for 21% of Sudan's total import and export volume in the same period. The two countries have carried out fruitful cooperation in oil, agriculture, mining and other fields. The Chinese side has helped the Soviet side to establish a complete petroleum industry chain integrating oil and gas exploration, development, production, refining and chemical industry and sales. Chinese enterprises have also grown in cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. In the field of humanities, Confucius Institute, "Happy Spring Festival", etc. have become the business cards of Chinese culture in Sudan. "Chinese fever" continues to rise in Sudan. Mohammed (Chinese name Zhao Zhixing), a student of the Chinese Department of Khartoum University in Sudan, won the global championship in the 16th "Chinese Bridge" World Undergraduate Chinese Competition, which has enhanced the enthusiasm of Sudanese people to learn Chinese, It has promoted friendly exchanges between the two peoples.
The "Belt and Road" construction provides a rare opportunity to strengthen cooperation between China and Sudan. Sudan is one of the first countries to actively respond to the "Belt and Road" initiative and sign an agreement with China to jointly build the "Belt and Road". It hopes to link the "Belt and Road" construction with its own development strategy to achieve greater development. It is believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, the two countries' joint construction of the "Belt and Road" will continue to yield fruitful results.
Those who have the same aspiration do not regard mountains and seas as far away. China and Sudan are traditionally friendly, their development strategies are in line, their economies are highly complementary, their public opinion base is solid, and their practical cooperation faces new historical opportunities. President Xi Jinping and Sudanese President Omar al Bashir, who attended the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, met again in Beijing to jointly forge a beautiful blueprint for China Soviet relations in the new era. It can be expected that the bilateral strategic partnership will play a new chapter.
(The writer is Li Lianhe, Chinese Ambassador to Sudan)
