China's economic miracle and rapid growth during the past 30 years is a good example to learn from, South Sudan's new ambassador to China said on Monday.

Eluzai Mogga Yokwe, who arrived in Beijing over the weekend, spoke to China Daily on the first anniversary of his country's independence.

Given that China took three decades to transform itself into the world's second-largest economy, "I wonder how long it will take us to develop. We definitely can learn something from China," Yokwe said.

China began to send teams of doctors to what was then the southern part of Sudan in the 1970s. The country has more than 3,000 Chinese there now, the ambassador said. An increasing Chinese presence is touching local people's lives through telecommunications, hotels and restaurants.

"The friends who come when really need help are true friends," he said.

Chinese companies are also involved in the building of South Sudan's infrastructure, the young nation's biggest priority, Yokwe said.

Meanwhile, the South Sudan people still hold on to their faith and pride as their country is blessed with many riches not yet developed -not only the oil, but also the agriculture potentials and mineral resources such as gold, Yokwe said.

South Sudan also is seeing more international cooperation and support in areas such as clean-water production and education, not just with China, but also the United States, Britain and Egypt, among other countries, he said.

And South Sudan's admission as a member of the African Union last year not only ensures the country won't be "left out", but also helps it to be more involved in the affairs of the continent, Yokwe said.

South Sudan's foreign minister is scheduled to come to Beijing later this month to attend the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which will be from July 19 to 20. It will be the first time South Sudan participates in the forum.

One year after South Sudan's separation from Sudan, relations between the two countries are bleak. South Sudan stopped pumping its oil through Sudan earlier this year because of a disagreement over the charge to export South Sudan's oil through Sudan's pipeline.

But Yokwe is optimistic about achieving a peaceful resolution to the current deadlock, as both sides want peace and "we can all benefit from the oil". And he noted the bilateral negotiations are still going on.

"Problems created by human beings can also be solved (by human beings), as long as if you can sit down together and talk to each other," he said. "You can always find a solution."

China will definitely play an important role in the mediation as a good friend of both Sudan and South Sudan, he added.

Liang Liang contributed to this story.

qinzhongwei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/10/2012 page11)