Sudan on Wednesday began distributing 1,250 tonnes of rice donated by China to districts across the country, as part of efforts to alleviate food shortages and support vulnerable communities.
The rice was shipped to Port Sudan, the capital of eastern Sudan's Red Sea State, last month to support humanitarian response in the war-torn country.
Sudanese government officials and representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Sudan attended the launching ceremony in Port Sudan.
Addressing the ceremony, Zhang Xianghua, charge d'affaires at the Chinese embassy, emphasized that the Chinese government is paying close attention to the humanitarian situation in Sudan and remains committed to offering assistance within its means.
He also expressed hope that this donation of rice would significantly contribute to alleviating the difficulties faced by the Sudanese people.
Salwa Adam Benya, Sudan's humanitarian aid commissioner, expressed heartfelt gratitude to China for its valuable support, noting that the aid would be distributed to every state, ensuring that people across Sudan would benefit from the relief supplies.
"Sudan and China have a long-standing and deep friendship, and China has been a strong supporter of Sudan's development," she stressed.
The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since mid-April 2023 has devastated Sudan's agricultural sector and exacerbated food insecurity, with many regions facing the threat of famine.
According to official statistics, 28.9 million people in Sudan need humanitarian assistance due to an ongoing conflict.
In a report released last month, the UN estimated that more than 24.6 million people -- half of Sudan's population -- would likely face high levels of acute food insecurity as of May 2025.
Sudan starts distribution of China-donated rice
China welcomes more Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to issue panda bonds in China and share the development opportunities brought by the growth of the Chinese market, said Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, on Wednesday at the China-LAC Panda Bond Seminar in Beijing, one of the sub-forums of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum.
Addressing the seminar, Pan said China and LAC countries, including Brazil, as important members of the Global South, have achieved fruitful outcomes in financial cooperation, contributing to China-LAC economic and trade cooperation, financial stability, and economic growth.
Given the complex and challenging international landscape, China and LAC countries should strengthen financial cooperation across broader and deeper fields to jointly address common challenges, he said.
Panda bonds are RMB-denominated bonds issued by foreign institutions within China. The funds raised through panda bonds are versatile, being used for purposes including financing domestic projects, business development, and overseas operations. These bonds provide a cost-effective source of capital for foreign institutions seeking to expand in international markets.
The issuers of panda bonds now span a diverse array of organizations, including international development institutions, foreign governments, overseas financial entities, and non-financial corporations. These issuers cover all five continents: Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and South America.
In recent years, the panda bond market has experienced rapid development and emerged as one of the key drivers of RMB internationalization. Over the first four months of this year, the total issuance of panda bonds reached 62.2 billion yuan (8.6 billion U.S. dollars), continuing to demonstrate its strong growth and momentum.
China welcomes more LAC countries to issue panda bonds: central bank governor
