(2020/10/15, at the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Sudan)

Your Excellency Khairy Abdel Rahman, Minister of Energy and Mining of Sudan,

Your Excellency Mohammed Yahya Abdelgalil Mohmoud, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Sudan,

Your Excellency Suliman Abdelrahman A.Elfadil, Director General of the Geological Research Authority of Sudan,

Your Excellency Mubarak Ardoul, Director General of Sudanese Mineral Resources Co., Ltd.,

Mr. Li Mengwen, General Manager of Wanbao Sahara Mining Co., Ltd.,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Friends,

Good afternoon! It gives me great pleasure to join you here today for the signing of a concession agreement on exploration and production between Wanbao Sahara Mining Co., Ltd. and the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Sudan. Here, I would like to offer, on behalf of the Chinese government, congratulations on the signing of the agreement by the two parties. I also wish to sincerely thank friends in all sectors that support mining cooperation between China and Sudan.

China-Sudan mining cooperation can be traced back to the 1970s when mining experts from China conducted geological survey of chromite deposit in cooperation with Sudan. Information materials formed in such survey are still in use today. In the ensuing years, our two countries have maintained sustained cooperation in the field of mining. Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Mining Industry by the Ministry of Land and Resources of China and the Ministry of Minerals of Sudan in 2010, the China Geological Survey has sent several groups of Chinese geologists to conduct geochemical survey of five blocks in Kassala and Red Sea states in collaboration with Sudanese mining experts.

Since the start of this century, Chinese enterprises have invested and started business one after another in Sudan's mining sector. So far 23 Chinese enterprises have operated in the mining area in Sudan, with their total investment exceeding 100 million US dollars. Their business operations involve the exploration and exploitation of gold, chromite, black sand and marble. At present, multiple Chinese enterprises interested in collaboration with Sudanese mining companies are now visiting Sudan. This illustrates that mining cooperation between our two countries enjoys great potential and broad prospects.

Wanbao Mining Ltd. is a strong Chinese mining company with advanced technology and rich experience. The cooperation agreement on the development of six blocks in Block 64 and Block RS-66 signed by Wanbao Mining and the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Sudan is a historic breakthrough in terms of the amount of investment, scope of mining rights and the involved exploration techniques. It marks a new stage in China-Sudan mining cooperation and will certainly contribute its share to Sudan's economic and social development and bring benefits to the people of Sudan.

Looking ahead, the Chinese government will, as always, support China-Sudan mining cooperation, through encouraging more competitive Chinese enterprises to invest and start business here,and guide them to operate in accordance with local laws and regulations including environmental protection and security guarding, to respect local customs, and to actively fulfill their corporate social responsibilities. Meanwhile, the Chinese side hopes the Sudanese side will create a more enabling business environment for Chinese enterprises' investment and business operations. To achieve win-win cooperation, we will work together with the Sudanese side to turn mining cooperation into a new driver of Sudan's economic growth and make it another highlight of our practical cooperation.

Thank you.