BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday said it is glad at the agreement reached between Sudan, the United Nations and the African Union on the full "Heavy Support Package" which the UN will provide to the AU peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region.

    Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao made the remark at a regular press conference.

    "This is an important progress in the process of resolving the Darfur issue which proves the effectiveness of the tripartite negotiation mechanism based on equal dialogues," said Liu.

    He said China hopes that parties concerned will continue to implement the Annan plan, properly resolve the Darfur issue and promote the realization of peace, stability and development in the Darfur region as soon as possible.

    "The settlement of Darfur issue should mainly rely on the Sudanese government and people themselves, with necessary assistance and help from the international community," said Liu, adding what the Annan plan aims at is a role by the international community in improving situation in Darfur through a way accepted by all parties concerned, especially the Sudanese government.

    Liu added China has paid great attention to the situation in Darfur, including the humanitarian situation there, and China has played a role in promoting the settlement of the Darfur issue.

    The UN, the AU and the Sudanese government agreed in November last year on the three-phase support plan, also known as the Annan plan as it was put forward by then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

    With the first phase of the plan, a light support package, already underway, the three parties reached an agreement in principle in Addis Ababa on April 9 to inaugurate the second phase of a UN support plan for the AU mission in Darfur, known as "the heavy support phase."

    But the Sudanese government's opposition for the deployment of attack helicopters in Darfur had blocked the scheduled implementation of the second phase.

    Earlier Monday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received a letter from Sudan's UN ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem that confirmed Sudan's approval of "the helicopters component" of the heavy support package for the AU force, a move welcomed by Ban and the UN Security Council.