On the evening of April 26, 2023, Director-General of the Department of Consular Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Wu Xi gave an exclusive interview to China Central Television on the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Sudan.

Wu Xi said that since the unexpected turn of events in Sudan, the CPC Central Committee has been deeply concerned about the safety of every Chinese compatriot in Sudan. The Foreign Ministry has resolutely implemented the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, and worked together with various departments and local governments to guide embassies and consulates in Sudan and neighboring countries to organize the safe and orderly evacuation of a large number of people from Khartoum and other conflict-stricken areas in a short period of time. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) urgently dispatched warships that were on escort missions in the Gulf of Aden to Sudan to carry out the evacuation operation. As of now, more than 1,100 Chinese compatriots, including residents from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, have been safely evacuated from Sudan. China is the country that has evacuated the largest number of people by organized evacuations since the outbreak of internal conflicts in Sudan. China, upholding the vision of a human community with a shared future, also actively helped with the safe evacuation of foreign nationals.

“Our compatriots have boarded Chinese warships and embarked on the journey home,” said Wu Xi, noting that serving the people is the fundamental purpose of China’s diplomacy. The staff of the Centre for Consular Assistance and Protection of the Foreign Ministry has worked around the clock for more than ten days to coordinate and organize emergency evacuation operations. Braving risks, comrades at the Chinese Embassy in Sudan meticulously organized the evacuation and opened up “life channels”. The PLA rushed to the aid promptly upon orders. Thanks to the concerted efforts of various departments and local governments, the all-out collaboration of Chinese-funded enterprises, and mutual assistance between overseas Chinese communities and student federations, a real-life version of the movie “Home Coming” was jointly staged. She expressed appreciation for the strong support rendered by China Communications Construction Company and China Harbor Engineering Company in the evacuation operation.

Wu Xi pointed out that the emergency evacuation operation in Sudan coincided with the Foreign Ministry’s campaign on the theme of “Studying and Implementing Xi Jinping Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”. All comrades participating in the operation are keenly aware of the major responsibility and glorious mission. They will resolutely complete the task assigned by the CPC Central Committee, and take it as an important standard to weigh the results of the campaign.

Wu Xi quoted some netizens’ observations such as “There is a kind of safety called ‘the motherland comes to take you home’”, and “This is our motherland; you can always trust her.” She said the Foreign Ministry will continue to act on the people-centered development philosophy, and shoulder the responsibilities to meet the expectations and address the concerns of Chinese compatriots, so as to convey the warmth and care of the CPC and the Chinese government to every overseas compatriot.