The first imperative is to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and speed up political negotiation, which would exclude factions who did not sign the Darfur Peace Agreement. These proposals met with and balanced different interests and worked positively.

Second, providing practical help to local people. China has delivered five batches of assistance to the Darfur region at a combined value of 80 million yuan ($11 million).

Furthermore, the country also provided a $50-million loan to the region in supporting the construction of local water facility, which is now being undertaken, and contributed $500,000 to the UN trust fund, which was specially established in September, last year to fund mediation efforts putting forward the political process of the Darfur issue.

Third, bringing about an agreement among the UN, the AU, and the Sudanese government on the deployment of UN/AU "hybrid mission" in Darfur, and sending its own peacekeeping force of 315 engineers, too, as the first non-African country to send peacekeepers there.

Fourth, engaging in multilateral diplomacy and explaining the situation to the international community.

China has taken many efforts in doing so such as sending Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun as envoy of the Chinese government to visit Sudan and its Darfur region and get a first-hand grasp of the situation. Later former Chinese ambassador to South Africa Liu Guijin was appointed as special representative on the Darfur issue. In fact, Liu has visited Sudan four times and had many other occasions to discuss the issue with relevant sides.

All the above evidence is testimony to the consistency between China's diplomacy on Darfur and principles of morality. To ease and finally solve the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region, constructive actions and concrete measures must be taken and the moral principles followed.

The author is a professor at Institute of International Studies, Fudan University

(China Daily July 25, 2008)