Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday discussed the situation in Sudan's Darfur region and climate change in a telephone conversation.

Yang said that China appreciates the positive efforts made by the UN chief to end the conflict in Darfur.

The Chinese government calls for the peacekeeping mission and political process in the region to progress in a balanced way, with the Sudanese government, the U.N. and the African Union all working together, he said.

The Chinese government hopes the new round of political negotiation on the situation in Darfur could bring material results, Yang added.

On the issue of climate change, Yang said the Chinese government supports the UN's leading role in dealing with climate change issues, saying that China will take an active part in the high-level UN meeting on climate change slated for September 24.

(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2007)