Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir during their talks in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, Feb. 2, 2007.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday held talks in Khartoum with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir and they pledged to raise Sino-Sudanese bilateral relationship to a new high.

During the talks, the two leaders had frank, in-depth and fruitful discussions on bilateral ties and major regional and international issues and reached consensus.

The two leaders praised the smooth development of Sino-Sudanese relations. Hu said that Sudan was one of the first group of African and Arab countries to have established diplomatic ties with China, and 43 years ago, then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai visited Sudan, thus ushering in a new chapter in bilateral ties.

Hu said the peoples of the two countries have trusted each other and forged a sincere and friendly relationship over the past decades, and bilateral ties have stood the test of the changing international situation.

Thanks to the joint efforts, bilateral cooperation in various areas has been progressing in recent years, enriching bilateral ties and bringing about tangible benefit to the people of the two countries, he added.

Al-Bashir said that Sudanese-Chinese ties, based on equality and mutual respect, have set a model for state-to-state cooperation, and both countries have benefited from their increasingly close economic and trade ties.

Sudan is grateful for China's long-standing support for economic and social development in Sudan, he said, adding that the two countries have maintained close coordination and consultation on regional and international issues.

Al-Bashir reiterated that Sudan has adhered to the one-China policy and opposed any attempt to separate Taiwan from China.

Hu said that China is the most populous country in the world and Sudan is the largest country in Africa. In this connection, the growth of Sino-Sudanese friendship and cooperation in an all-round way conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples, and will also be conducive to promoting cooperation among developing countries and peace and development in Africa and the world at large, Hu added.

To consolidate and advance Sino-Sudanese friendship and cooperation is a set policy of the Chinese government, he said.

Hu also made proposals on promotion of bilateral cooperation in a variety of areas.

He said that it was important to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries and promote mutual trust in the political field, and to maintain high-level exchanges of visits between the two countries to promote mutual understanding and expand consensus, and have more exchanges between governmental departments, legislatures and political parties, and to strengthen coordination and cooperation in bilateral ties and major regional and international issues.

He said that it was important to deepen bilateral cooperation for the sake of both sides, adding that the Chinese side is ready to expand its cooperation with Sudan in the areas of telecommunication, irrigation, energy and infrastructure, in a bidto advance bilateral economic and trade cooperation and seek a win-win situation.

Hu said that it was also important to enhance cooperation in human resources, vocational training, health and culture.

He added that it was important to strengthen bilateral cooperation within the framework of the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation and to fully implement eight measures announced by China to support development of African countries.

Al-Bashir also briefed Hu on the situation in Sudan. The Sudanese president said that major progress has been made in the peace process in Sudan over the past two years, and the country has witnessed peace accords concerning the north and the south, the eastern part and the western region of Darfur.

Sudan is thankful for China's support for peace and stability in Sudan, he said.

President Hu said that the Chinese side was pleased to see that Sudan has scored remarkable achievements in national reconciliation, economic development and the people's standard of living.

The north and the south achieved a peace agreement last year, and the Sudanese government then signed accords with several factions in the north, east and west, thus promoting social stability in the country and ensuring its economic growth, Hu added.

President Hu flew into Khartoum from the Liberian capital of Monrovia after a one-day visit.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2007)