In the words of two international relations experts, China is the “biggest country in the world” that has a stake in Sudan’s stability, listing in their commentary to “Sky News Arabia” the reasons behind it.
If Beijing intervenes in this conflict, it will be the third international crisis in which it exercises its new role of “international mediator” after the Saudi-Iranian crisis and the Ukrainian crisis.
Since the first day of the clashes that erupted on April 15, China has been seeking to evacuate its nationals from Sudan, worried about its projects, its interests and Chinese employment.
Sudan is China’s third-largest trading partner in Africa after South Africa and Angola, and the sixth-largest oil exporter to China, according to official figures.
relying party
So far, China has not declared a declared position on the parties to the conflict in Sudan, but it has called for an end to the clashes and to sit down at the negotiating table.
In the opinion of the expert in international affairs, Jasser Matar, China “is the best country that can play the role of mediator between the two parties to the conflict”, and this is explained by:
Both sides trust him because they are certain that Beijing does not support one party at the expense of the other, unlike Russia and America. China is “better” for them than the African Union, because the latter is based in Ethiopia, which can favor one side over the other. Everything about Beijing now in Sudan is to ensure the flow of oil and the continuation of trade, and that will only bring stability.
On this basis, Matar proposes that the mediation be formed from the Arab and African parties through the Arab League and the African Union under Chinese auspices.
China’s Grand Strategy
Mazen Hassan, an expert on Chinese affairs, confirms his colleague’s comments on the confidence of the Sudanese parties in China, whose relations with Sudan have always been “good”.
He underlined, in turn, that “everyone knows that what matters for America is to prevent the presence of the Russian ‘Wagner’ company in Sudan, and what concerns Russia is is to install Wagner fighters, and therefore China remains a more acceptable party if it mediates with the African Union.
He also warns that Sudan “fits into China’s comprehensive and all-encompassing strategy, as it can, together with countries in the Middle East and North Africa, become a major ally of Beijing if it decides to assume greater international responsibilities”.
The most important Chinese investments in Sudan
Before splitting into two countries in 2011, Sudan was a major destination for China’s energy investments, accounting for more than 5% of China’s crude oil imports. Beijing remains the largest buyer of oil from South Sudan, which accounts for about 2% of China’s oil needs. Although South Sudan has most of the oil reserves, most pipelines and processing facilities are owned by the Sudan, which largely determines the flow of oil. China has a significant presence in oil companies in Sudan and South Sudan, covering a wide range of sectors from oil exploration to pipeline construction. Beijing is one of the biggest investors in Sudan, with 130 Chinese companies operating in infrastructure sectors such as transport, electricity and production like agriculture, and it has a market share of more than 50 % in contract business. Additionally, Sudan has had a large Chinese workforce since 2020, according to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
Read the Latest World News Today on The Eastern Herald.
