Sudanese Minister of Finance and National Economy Awad Ahmed Mohamed al-Jaz (R) and chief economist of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture Zhang Yuxiang attend the China-Sudan Agriculture Cooperation Forum in Khartoum, Sudan, on June 14, 2009. The forum was inaugurated on Sunday. [Xinhua]

The first Forum on Agricultural Cooperation between China and Sudan started in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Sunday with officials from both sides optimizing the prospect of the bilateral agricultural cooperation.

Sudanese Minister of Finance and National Economy Awad Ahmed al-Jaz said at the inauguration of the forum in the next period the Sudanese-Sino relations would focus on developing the agriculture and raising the capacity of the two nations in this field.

"Sudan wants to focus its efforts with China in the field of agriculture and it will be the integration of roles between the two countries to achieve the common interest," the Sudanese minister said, adding that "the opportunity is mature for China to enter this area of wider doors."

He said the forum would witness the signing of agreements for joint projects in the agricultural field, noting that Sudan expects Chinese companies and private enterprises to build an industrial base in Sudan for the development of agricultural and livestock products.

Zhang Yuxiang, the chief economist in the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture, said Sudan had a great potential in the agricultural development since it is the largest country in size in African, rich in agricultural resources and has a large portion of land to be developed.

"China, which has experienced the process of 30 years of reform and opening to the outside world, has gradually worked out a way fit to its own agricultural conditions and rural development, and has accumulated therefore a large number of successful experience and mature technology," the Chinese official said.

She said by deepening and expanding the agricultural cooperation between the two countries, China and Sudan would boost food security and economic sustainable development, and achieve a win-win situation.

Chinese and Sudanese officials as well as hundreds of representatives of agricultural and business sectors of the two countries attended the inauguration ceremony of the four-day forum.

Sudanese Minister of Finance and National Economy Awad Ahmed Mohamed al-Jaz (L, front) and chief economist of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture Zhang Yuxiang (C, front) attend the inauguration ceremony of China-Sudan Agriculture Cooperation Exhibition on the sideline of the 1st China-Sudan Agriculture Cooperation Forum in Khartoum, Sudan, on June 14, 2009. The forum was inaugurated on Sunday. [Xinhua]

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2009)