China and Bangladesh

China has pledged to continue providing economic and technological assistance to Bangladesh during Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent visit to China.

While meeting with Hasina, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Beijing encourages competent Chinese companies to invest in Bangladesh and participate in the construction of transportation, communications and energy infrastructure in the country.

The two nations, he said, should also enhance cooperation in agriculture, poverty reduction and disaster relief.

At the same time, he said, both sides should make joint efforts to safeguard the fundamental interests of developing countries in major issues concerning UN reform, climate change and the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Hasina paid an official visit to China from March 17 to 21. During her visit, China and Bangladesh signed a number of agreements, including a memorandum of understanding between the two countries' oil companies on cooperation in the oil and natural gas sectors.

China and Sudan

China is committed to assisting Sudan's war-stricken Darfur region with its reconstruction, according to Liu Guijin, Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Darfur.

"The Darfur issue is an issue of development," he said at an international donors' conference for Darfur's development in Cairo on March 21. "The fundamental solution to the problem lies in the region's economic and social reconstruction."

The Sudanese Government signed ceasefire agreements with two rebel groups there in recent weeks, paving the way for an end to seven years of fighting.

To date, China has offered 160 million yuan ($23.5 million) in humanitarian and development aid to the region, including the building of schools, the drilling of wells and the providing of medical equipment, Liu said.

He promised that China would continue to offer assistance to help Darfur achieve peace, stability and development as soon as possible.