Chinese Ministry of Culture presented on Monday dozens of musical instruments to the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) to enhance the cultural cause in south Sudan.

Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Li Chengwen and the GOSS Minster of Culture Abino Akur Akur attended the ceremony of the instruments hand-over, held at the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum.

Li told reporters that the musical instruments, which amounted to 64 pieces, including violoncellos, violins, trombones and others, could be used to establish an orchestra of medium size.

"These musical instruments could play an important role in enhancing the cultural cause in south Sudan, where numerous tasks remained to be undertaken for reconstruction following the end of the north-south war," he said.

Li reiterated the Chinese government's support for the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005 between Khartoum and the former rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement in south Sudan, adding China will continuously do its best to help implement the agreement.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Sudanese Federal Government Mohamed Yusif Abdella, also present at the ceremony, praised China for not only actively taking part in the social and economic development of Sudan, but also paying great attention to the educational and cultural causes in Sudan and providing a lot of assistance.

"The Sudanese people will remember the help and affection of the Chinese government and the Chinese people," the Sudanese minister noted.

Akur said that after providing enormous assistance for ending the north-south civil war and realizing the peace in Sudan in the past period, China continuously provided various helps for the process of reconstruction and development in south Sudan.

He believed that south Sudan would bloom due to the efforts of the south Sudanese people and the assistance to be provided friend countries, including China.

China and Sudan have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic ties, which was on Feb. 4, 1959.

(Xinhua New Agency February 17, 2009)