China in Sudan: Having it Both Ways

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Background

It has become widely understood that China’s influence over Sudan is “critical to Khartoum’s economic development and international relations, as well as to prospects for a peaceful resolution to the Darfur conflict.” This influence reflects China’s role as Sudan’s chief economic partner, major arms supplier, and key diplomatic supporter, and China has received substantial criticism internationally for the nature of this relationship in light of the ongoing atrocities in Darfur.

To some degree, China has responded to this pressure. It has taken actions that appear to be designed to re-craft its image from that of Khartoum’s enabler to one
of a responsible global power concerned with ending Darfur’s bloody conflict. China has, for instance, emphasized that it was during its presidency of the United Nations Security Council that Resolution 1769, authorizing the long-awaited peacekeeping force to Darfur, was passed.

This report offers a brief overview of China’s current relationship with Sudan and its actions with respect to Darfur so far in 2007. It finds:

• On the diplomatic front, China has helped push Sudan forward in some respects, but has remained its advocate in others. On the positive side of the ledger, China did help facilitate the passage of Resolution 1769 as well as getting Sudan to agree to other potential steps towards peace. On the negative side, reports indicate that China worked behind the scenes to significantly weaken the terms of 1769, and China has regularly mimicked Sudanese arguments that aim to sanitize the situation in Darfur.

• Economic ties between China and Sudan have grown much closer in 2007. Trade between the two countries more than doubled in the first half of 2007. China also continues to sign new accords, such as oil development agreements, that strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

• The military relationship remains troubling. Two recently released studies by well-respected organizations have fueled concerns that weapons from China are being used against the people of Darfur, and that China is not doing enough to prevent such usage. Further, in the spring of 2007, China indicated its desire to further its military relationship with Sudan “in every sphere.”

• Humanitarian aid falls far short of other types of assistance. China has extended some humanitarian aid to the people of Darfur in 2007 but such aid has been far less than the new support it has provided to the government of Sudan. A striking example was provided during President Hu’s February visit to Khartoum, during which he announced several new economic aid packages to Sudan, including an interest-free loan to construct a Presidential Palace. The sums involved were dramatically larger than the modest amount of new humanitarian aid provided.

In short, it appears that China is now trying to have it both ways. It has taken some positive steps towards facilitating peace in Darfur, perhaps with the concerns of the international community in mind. At the same time, however, it has worked to ensure that its special relationship with Sudan is not threatened—indeed, it has tightened its economic relationship with Sudan this year—and that it continues to receive the benefits from that relationship. On balance, China’s engagement in efforts to end the Darfur conflict appears modest and is outweighed by its much deeper, unconditioned economic, military and diplomatic support for Sudan’s government.

The time has come for China to choose:Will it genuinely commit to do all it can to bring security and justice to Darfur? Or will it contribute to a solution in Darfur with one hand, even as it vitiates that effort with the other hand? As detailed in the last section of this analysis, China, along with other countries, needs to augment its pressure on Sudan to live up to its commitments to the international community and to take other steps towards peace in Darfur. Above all, China needs to make clear to Sudan, in a way that its continued relationship with Khartoum so far does not, that until there is real peace on the ground in Darfur, and refugees can safely return to their homes, there will be no more business as usual.

Download the complete report (514K PDF)