(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-07 09:16

BEIJING -- China support the United Nations to play important role on Darfur issue, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thursday.

"China appreciated the positive efforts made by Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon recently," said Jiang Yu at a routine press conference.

Ban, who has made settling the conflict in the African country his top priority, arrived in Khartoum on September 3, kicking off his first ever visit to Sudan since taking office of the U.N. chief in January.

This is also the first visit of a UN secretary general in Darfur since the conflict erupted in February 2003.

During the five-day visit in Sudan, Ban paid a field tour in Darfur, inspecting a refugee camp and a new base for the hybrid peacekeeping force the United Nations and the African Union (AU) have planned to send to the region by the end of this year.

He is also set to meet Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir.

China suggested the international society cherish and safeguard the current positive momentum that pops up in Darfur, making best of the  coordinating mechanism among the Sudanese government, the UN and the AU, Jiang said.

"Thus, the international society could push forward the peace-keeping and political processes in balance, help improve the humanitarian and security situation in Darfur and finally push forward the comprehensive and proper solution to the issue," the spokesperson said.

China has always exerted constructive role on Darfur issue, said Jiang.

According to her, Liu Guijin, China's special representative on Darfur visited the United States and the UN from September 3 to 12, making extensive exchange of ideas with officials, congressmen, scholars and media.