China will continue to play a constructive role in Darfur, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in Beijing on Tuesday.

When asked to comment on the African Union summit's upcoming discussions on Darfur, Jiang said the developments in Darfur are at a critical juncture.

China appreciated the diplomatic efforts which all parties concerned have made, and hoped they would continue to make candid communication in a steady and pragmatic manner so as to achieve consensus, Jiang said.

She also voiced her hope that all concerned parties will maintain the momentum of dialogue, and take into account the concerns of all the parties involved, mutually agree on a settlement at an early date, in order to bring peace and stability to the region.

Six northeastern African leaders, including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, held a six-way summit last Tuesday in the Libyan capital of Tripoli, calling for peaceful settlement of regional issues including the strife in Sudan's western region of Darfur.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush on Monday held a phone conversation, and they discussed the issue of this conflict-plagued region in west Sudan.

Earlier on Tuesday, President Al-Bashir again refused to allow international peacekeepers into Darfur, saying their deployment would lead to re-colonization of the country.

Source: Xinhua