Li Baodong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said in New York on Friday that China highly appreciates and welcomes UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's visit to Somalia.

In a statement issued by the China's Permanent Mission to the UN, Li said that this is the first visit for about two decades by a UN Secretary-General to the war-torn country of Somalia. China highly appreciates and welcomes the visit.

Ban and top ranking UN officials paid the visit to Somalia on Friday and held talks with Somali senior leaders, including Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Prime Minister Abdelweli Mohamed Ali and Speaker of the Somali Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adam.

"It fully demonstrates that the United Nations puts great emphasis on and is committed to easing the humanitarian crisis in Somalia and promoting the peace process in the country," it said.

The statement also noted that China supports the United Nations in continuing to play an important role in the Somali issue, and assist the parties concerned in Somalia in promoting the peace process in the country, and implementing the Kampala Accord and the Roadmap Ending the Transition.

China also supports the United Nations in increasing input to help Somalia address the current humanitarian crisis, it added.

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