KHARTOUM — Visiting Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli said on Aug 25 that China will expand its practical cooperation with Sudan and work actively to explore new cooperation areas under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

He made the remarks while meeting here with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

Zhang said China has always viewed and handled its relations with Sudan from a strategic and long-term perspective.

The two countries have maintained mutual support on issues involving each others’s core interests and major concerns, he said.

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli meets with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum, Sudan, Aug. 25, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua]

China will, as always, support Sudan’s efforts in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as achieving domestic peace and stability, he said, adding that China will cooperate and coordinate with Sudan on major international and regional issues.

Meanwhile, the vice-premier urged the two countries to explore new ways to boost their practical cooperation under the principles of mutual benefit, win-win results and common development.

Zhang said the two countries need to strengthen cooperation in oil and gas exploration and development, and work actively to explore new cooperation areas under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Belt and Road Initiative, put forward by President Xi Jinping in 2013, is aimed at building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road through concerted efforts of all related countries to benefit all participants by promoting unimpeded trade, financial integration, infrastructure connectivity and closer people-to-people exchanges.

Zhang also stressed the need to create synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Sudan’s development strategy and boost bilateral cooperation in some new areas such as agriculture, mining and port construction.

China encourages its enterprises to invest in Sudan and the two sides should step up their efforts in promoting the project of the new Khartoum international airport, he added.

Al-Bashir, for his part, said China-Sudan relations can be regarded as a model for South-South cooperation.

Sudan highly values its friendship with China and is ready to encourage more African countries to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with China under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, he said.

Sudan is the third leg of Zhang’s four-nation tour which has already taken him to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. He will also travel to Namibia.