Beijing yesterday appointed a special representative for African affairs to focus on the Darfur issue in Sudan, and promised to send 275 military engineers for a peacekeeping contingent in the region.

Liu Guijin, a former ambassador to Zimbabwe and South Africa, will take up the position, the first of its kind.

"Since the situation in Darfur has drawn significant attention from the international community, the special representative will focus on this issue," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a regular press briefing.

She said Liu will also work to push forward Sino-African relations.

Jiang said the recent trends in the Darfur issue have been positive and all sides have reached a consensus that dialogue is the most effective way to resolve disputes.

She said China has made unremitting efforts including sending envoys and coordinating efforts at multilateral forums to resolve the Darfur issue.

On media reports that more than 100 US lawmakers sent President Hu Jintao a letter urging China to step up efforts to stop violence in Darfur, Jiang said the United States has played a positive role in resolving the issue.

"I can say that China and the United States share the same objective in Darfur. We both hope to resolve the issue through political means," she said.

Jiang said China is keen to join hands with the international community, including the United States, to seek a solution.

The 275 Chinese military engineers would help implement the "Annan peace plan", which proposes putting UN forces alongside African Union (AU) forces already in Darfur to help halt bloodshed there, she said.

Sudan has agreed to allow a "heavy UN support package" of about 3,500 personnel to help the 7,000-strong AU force.

(China Daily 05/11/2007 page1)