UNITED NATIONS, Sep 18, 2004 (Xinhua) — Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Wang Guangya reiterated on Saturday China’s firm opposition to imposing UN sanctions against Sudan over the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

"We maintain that only political settlement through negotiations will lead to final resolution of the Darfur crisis," he told the Security Council after it adopted a resolution threatening sanctions against Sudan’s oil industry and its government members.

Eleven of the 15 council members voted in favor of the US-drafted resolution, while China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria abstained. The resolution demands Sudan stabilize the situation inthe troubled western Darfur region and cooperate fully in expanding the African Union (AU) monitoring mission in Darfur.

Though the resolution’s sponsors have repeatedly stated that the threat of sanction will not be automatically implemented, Wangreiterated that "China remains unchanged in its position against sanctions."

"It is our consistent view that instead of helping solve complicated problems, sanctions may make them even more complicated."

Wang noted that the situation in Darfur has gradually improved over the past few months and is turning for the better.

"The Sudanese government has shown its sincerity in resolving the problem and has taken many measures accordingly. This is an objective reality that cannot be denied," he pointed out.

"The Security Council and the international community should focus on encouraging the Sudanese government to continue to cooperate, rather than the other way round."

Wang said China had serious reservations on the draft resolution and was concerned that it "will not help contribute to the solution of the problem."

However, in order to support the African Union in extending itsdeployment in Darfur as wished by the AU and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, he said China "has refrained from blocking the adoption of the draft resolution."

The envoys of Pakistan, Algeria and Russia echoed Wang’s view, with Algerian UN Ambassador Abdallah Baali accusing the resolutionof lacking justice and infringing Sudan’s sovereignty.