On April 7th 2008, the opening ceremony of the Humanitarian De-mining Training Course for Sudan, sponsored by the Chinese Government, was held in the PLA University of Science and Technology in Nanjing. Mr. Li Song, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament of the Foreign Ministry, officials from Ministry of Defence, and Sudanese Ambassador Mirhgani Mohamed Salih attended the ceremony.

The hosting of this demining training course represents another concrete measure taken by the Chinese Government in actively participating in international de-mining assistance. It is also an important step by the Chinese Government in providing humanitarian assistance to Sudan. It fully demostrates the Chinese Government's firm support to the national reconciliation process in Sudan, and its positive attitude to promote the reconstruction and development in Sudan as well as to further enhance its friendship and cooperation with all Sudanese people including the people from southern Sudan.

The one-and-half month de-mining training course is hosted by the PLA University of Science and Technology in Nanjing. 20 trainees from northern and southern Sudan (10 from each side) participate in the training course. After the conclusion of the training course, the Chinese Government will also donate mine detection and de-mining equipment to Sudan.