BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Sudanese Mining Minister Abdel-Bagi Gailani said here Monday that Sudan is seeking to strengthen cooperation with China in the mining sector.

Sudan is a vast country with rich mineral resources, said the minister. However, the country's abundant mineral resources are yet to be explored and utilized due to various reasons such as technical and financial constraints, he told Xinhua.

Sudan welcomes and encourages Chinese companies to do business and to invest in his country, hoping that the two countries could diversify mutually beneficial cooperation, said Gailani.

Sudan aims to utilize its resources in an efficient and rational manner through sharing China's advanced technologies and learning from the country's rich experiences and increasing financial input in the mining sector in a bid to step up the development of its national economy, the minister added.

Gailani was in China for the 12th China Mining Congress & Expo, which will be held in the northern port city of Tianjin from Tuesday to Thursday.

The annual event is expected to attract more than 3,000 participants from over 50 countries and regions.