Everlasting China-Sudan Friendship: Work Together for a Shared Future

-- Remarks Made by Ambassador Ma Xinmin at the Opening Ceremony of the International Symposium in Commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and Sudan

女士们，先生们，朋友们：

　　大家好！今天非常高兴与中苏两国的朋友共同出席《中苏关系的历史、现状与未来》国际研讨会。首先，我谨代表中国驻苏丹使馆，对各位朋友出席此次研讨会表示热烈欢迎，向所有长期以来为推动中苏关系发展付出努力和心血的两国各界友好人士表示衷心感谢。

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends,

Good morning! It is a great pleasure to have all of you here at the International Symposium on History, Current Situation and Future of China-Sudan Relations. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Sudan, I would like to extend my warm welcome to all friends from China and Sudan present here, and express my heartfelt thanks to the friendly people from all quarters in China and Sudan for their long-term efforts and contributions to the progress in China-Sudan relations.

　　值此中苏建交60周年和中华人民共和国成立70周年之际，举办这样一场纪念中苏建交60周年研讨会，总结过去，谋划未来，可谓恰逢其时，意义深远。

　　中苏两国都是拥有悠久历史的文明古国，两国人民的交往跨越千年，两国外交关系绵延60载，无论国际风云如何变幻，中苏关系历久弥坚，始终坚持的是平等相待、真诚友好；始终坚守的是公平正义、相互支持；始终践行的是互利互惠、合作共赢。这铸就了中苏关系60年的主旋律：互信、互利、互助与互鉴。

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Sudan diplomatic ties and also the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, it is of far-reaching significance to hold a symposium in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Sudan diplomatic ties at this moment to review the past and plan for the future.

As two ancient civilizations enjoying long history, China and Sudan have witnessed friendly ties between our two peoples for millennia and bilateral diplomatic ties for sixty years. No matter how the international situation evolves, China-Sudan relations grow even stronger, remaining committed to the principles of equal treatment and sincere friendship, adhering to equity, justice and mutual support and pursuing mutual benefits and win-win cooperation. All these contribute to the mainstream of China-Sudan relations over the past six decades. That is mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual help and mutual learning.

　　中苏关系凝结于深厚的战略互信之中。60年间中苏高层交往密切，政党、政府、议会、军事等各领域往来频繁。1959年2月4日，苏丹成为继埃及、摩洛哥、阿尔及利亚之后第四个与我建交的阿拉伯和非洲国家。周恩来总理和陈毅副总理1964年访问苏丹是中苏关系发展的“开篇之作”，奠定了两国友好交往的坚实基础。2015年中苏宣布建立战略伙伴关系，开启了两国关系的新时代。今年4月苏丹发生30年未有之大变局，中方始终予苏过渡政权有力支持。中国政府两次派非洲事务特别代表访苏，并在联合国安理会等国际场合为苏仗义执言。前不久，王毅国务委员在纽约联大期间会见了哈姆杜克总理，两国领导人为未来两国关系的发展指明了方向。中苏两国政治互信牢固，双方始终在涉及彼此核心利益和重要关切问题上相互理解、坚定支持，始终在国际和地区事务中相互协调和配合，相互支持彼此维护国家主权、独立、领土完整，相互支持彼此探索符合本国国情的发展道路，两国间的相互支持不附加任何条件，是朋友对朋友的真心实意、真诚相助。当前形势下，中方支持苏丹新政权为实现全国和平、维护社会稳定和推动经济振兴所作努力，呼吁安理会解除对苏经济和金融制裁，支持将苏从支恐国家名单中删除。中方积极参与联合国和非盟在苏维和行动，在苏部署了中国历史上第一支海外直升机分队，迄已向苏达尔富尔地区派遣4500多名维和人员，为苏丹的维和和建和不懈努力。

China-Sudan friendship is embedded in our deep strategic trust. The past six decades have seen close high-level interactions between China and Sudan, as well as frequent exchanges at the political party, government, parliament, military and other levels. On February 4, 1959, Sudan established diplomatic relations with China, becoming the fourth among Arab and African countries with diplomatic ties with China, following Egypt, Morocco and Algeria. The visit paid by Premier Zhou Enlai and Vice Premier Chen Yi to Sudan in 1964 represented the beginning of the development of our bilateral relations and laid a solid foundation for subsequent friendly exchanges between the two countries. In 2015, China and Sudan announced their strategic partnership, ushering in a new era for our bilateral relations. In response to major changes unseen in the past 30 years that occurred in Sudan in April this year, China has been offering strong support to Sudan's transitional authority. The Chinese government has sent its special representative for African affairs to visit Sudan twice, and spoken in defense of Sudan at the UN Security Council and on many other international occasions. Not long ago, State Councilor Wang Yi met with Prime Minister Hamdok on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, pointing the way for future development of our bilateral relations.

With firm political trust in each other, both sides have always given each other understanding and firm support on issues concerning our respective core interests and major concerns, coordinated and cooperated with each other's efforts in international and regional affairs, and supported each other in maintaining national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and exploring a development path suited to our respective national conditions. Offered with no strings attached, the mutual support between China and Sudan is sincere help between friends.

Given the current situation, China supports Sudan's new authority in making endeavors to realize national peace, maintain social stability and promote economic recovery, calls on the UN Security Council to lift economic and financial sanctions against Sudan, and endorses the removal of Sudan from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Committed to taking an active part in peacekeeping operations in Sudan organized by the United Nations and the African Union, China has dispatched to Sudan a helicopter squad, first of this kind deployed overseas in Chinese history, and sent over 4,500 peacekeepers to the Darfur region so far, making endless efforts on peacekeeping and peace building in Sudan.