BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Thursday announced that China would send an engineering unit of 275 members to Darfur in Sudan "in the near future" to participate in the implementation of the second phase of a UN support plan for the African Union (AU) peace-keeping mission in the region.

    China always plays an active role in dealing with the Darfur issue, holding frequent negotiations and delivering humanitarian assistance to the region, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu.

    "We believe the international community should continue to push forward both peace-keeping missions and political progress in Darfur, and urge the opposition faction there to resume talks with the Sudanese government to achieve peace and stability in the region at an early date," Jiang said.

    The spokeswoman said that peaceful political methods are still the most effective measures and the "right choice" in seeking solutions to the issue.

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

    The first phase is already underway and the three parties reached an agreement in principle in Addis Ababa on April 9 to inaugurate the second phase, known as "the heavy support phase".

    "We would like to make joint efforts with the international community including the United States for a timely and proper solution to the Darfur issue," Jiang said in response to a question concerning calls from the United States that China should do more on the Darfur issue.

    "The United States has also played a positive role in Darfur," Jiang said, adding China and the United States share the same goal on the issue, namely a political resolution to the conflict.

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