国内英语新闻:FM says Sudan welcomes more Chinese investment

BEIJING, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- More Chinese enterprises are welcomed to invest in Sudan as the country has a lot of new investment projects on agriculture and mining, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ahmed Ali Karti said here on Friday.

The relations between China and Sudan are not merely confined to the political field and the two sides have tried to further their cooperation in such fields as agriculture and mining, Karti said in an interview with Xinhua.

Karti said Sudan values the promotion of cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation with China, noting that the two countries should encourage technical personnel and students to exchange visits.

On the tension between Sudan and South Sudan, he said he has seen positive signs of policies from its oil-rich neighbor, and Sudan hopes that the tension would ease as soon as possible, which will benefit both sides.

Karti appreciated China's efforts in pushing the two sides to solve their differences through dialogue. He said that China has been playing a significant role and Sudan hopes that China will continue to exert its influence.

Over the past weeks, China has done a lot to help defuse the tension between Khartoum and Juba, Karti said. China's special representative on African Affairs Zhong Jianhua has been making mediations actively, which prompted Sudan to postpone its planned shutdown of a pipeline for South Sudan's oil exports.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 under a peace deal, ending decades of civil war. But the two sides have so far failed to sign an agreement on disputed border territories.

Sudan had set the date of Aug. 7 as the deadline for shutting down the pipeline carrying oil flow from South Sudan, the sole channel for South Sudan's oil exports, accusing South Sudan of continuing its support to the rebels activities against the Sudanese government.

Khartoum has decided to postpone the deadline until Aug. 22, and then further until Sept. 6.