China Friday voiced its active support to the new chairman of the Group of 77 (G-77) and vowed to work closely with the international body to promote the common development in the world.

The statement as Zhang Yesui, the Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, was speaking at the G-77 chairmanship hand-over ceremony, at which Sudan takes over the G- 77 leadership from Antigua and Barbuda.

Zhang extended his congratulation to Sudan on the take-over of the G-77 chairmanship and thanked Antigua and Barbuda for its work as the chairman in 2008.

Also present at the ceremony were Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, president of 63rd session of the UN General Assembly, UN Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon, UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro, and Sha Zukang, the UN under-secretary-general for economic and social affairs.

Liu Zhenmin, the deputy Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, also took part in the ceremony.

At the ceremony, Ban said: "I will be counting on the Group of 77 and China to play a strong and constructive role, and I am keen to work closely with you" in painstaking efforts to deal with such challenges as the global financial crisis, climate change and global health.

G-77 is an international organization established in 1967 to promote economic cooperation and greater influence in world affairs among developing countries. Originally consisting of 77 countries, the organization had 133 member states in 1998, primarily in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Related: UN expects G-77, China to play bigger role in economic crisis

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2009)