Located on the banks of the Nile, in the cradle of civilization, Sudan was home to several ancient Nubian kingdoms - from the Kush in about 1000 BC through to the Kerma, the Meroe, the Makuria and Nobatia, and lastly the Alodia, which endured until the early 16th century.

Today, the North African nation is working to attract more Chinese tourists to the many relics left by those old civilizations, as well as its modern resorts and Red Sea ports.

Ali Ahmed Hamid, the governor of Red Sea State, one of Sudan's 18 states, said proudly that his country not only offers relics, but also unique landscapes that combine deserts, seas and mountains.