Beijing  - China on Thursday urged the International Criminal Court to suspend its case against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, expressing concern that it could worsen the situation in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.

"China expresses its regret and concern over the arrest warrant for the Sudanese president issued by the International Criminal Court," said foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang.

"China opposes any action that could hamper efforts to realize peace in Darfur and in Sudan," Qin said in a statement posted on the ministry's website.

"We hope the (UN) Security Council will respect and listen to calls by the African Union, the Arab League and the Non-Aligned Movement... and ask the International Criminal Court to suspend the hearing of this case," he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, judges at the International Criminal Court at The Hague issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese president, its first against an acting head of state, on charges that he was complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Arab League officials on Wednesday said they feared the international arrest warrant for Bashir could harm efforts to strike a peace deal in Darfur.

The Arab League resolved to send an Arab and Sudanese ministerial delegation to the Security Council member countries to present the Arab stance on the warrant and "its consequences for peace and stability in Sudan."

According to UN estimates, around 35,000 people have been killed in Darfur since 2003 and a further 300,000 have died from hunger and disease and some 2.7 million were displaced. (dpa)