A humanitarian de-mining training course for Sudan sponsored by the Chinese government was inaugurated on Monday in Nanjing, capital of the eastern Jiangsu Province.

About 20 military officers from north and south Sudan were participating in the six weeks of training at the University of Science and Technology of People's Liberation Army.

In addition to being a concrete measure that China is actively taking part in international de-mining assistance, it is also an important step in providing Sudan with humanitarian aid.

It showed the Chinese government's firm support for the national reconciliation process in Sudan, its willingness to further develop friendly and cooperative relations with all Sudanese and an active attitude to help the African country's construction and development, a China Foreign Ministry press release said.

China is also donating detection and mine sweeping equipment to Sudan when the training is over.

(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2008)