SHARM EL-SHEIKH - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir, who is wanted for war crimes, on Sunday warmly thanked China for its diplomatic support over the conflict in Darfur.
"We express our deep appreciation for China's efforts in backing the comprehensive peace agreement (between south and north) in Sudan and its peace efforts in Darfur," he said in a speech at a China-African summit in Egypt.
"We thank China particularly for backing efforts by our countries to achieve peace and stability in Africa's zones of conflict," Beshir added.
He also hailed the "sincere efforts" of Beijing to help African countries "especially in the field of education and the fight against serious diseases."
The International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Beshir on March 4, accusing him of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur, where the UN says 300,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in 2003.
China as well as several African and Arab countries criticised the arrest warrant, despite which Beshir promptly received an invitation to visit Cairo from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Sudan accuses France of colonialism