Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was elected president of the Somalia transitional federal government, marking the country's important progress in pursuing peace, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue in Beijing Thursday.

When asked to make comments on this election at a regular news briefing, Zhang said China expressed welcome for this issue and admired the remorseless efforts made by East-Africa Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and concerned countries in Africa in promoting Somalia's peace course.

"The Chinese government has been closely following Somalia's peace course, acted as coordinator in the United Nations Security Council on the Somalia issue, supported international community's mediating efforts, financed Somalia Peace Association within capacity, and actively provided humanitarian aid for the Somali people," Zhang said.

Zhang said China hopes that Somalia would establish a transitional federal government, achieve "ethical reconciliation" and national unification and resume peace, stability and security in the near future.

China will continue to play positive role in this process, Zhang said.

Source: Xinhua