China opposes “politicizing” oil cooperation with Sudan

May 30, 2007 (BEIJING) — Liu Guijin, the Chinese Government’s special representative on Darfur, said in Beijing on the 29th: Oil drilling in a country is a normal business activity. China opposes “politicizing” and playing up normal cooperation in the energy field.

In connection with outside criticism and questioning of oil cooperation between China and Sudan, Liu Guijin said at a briefing for Chinese and foreign media on the same day that oil cooperation between China and Sudan started in 1996 and over the last 10 years and more, the two sides have carried out transparent, mutually beneficial, and nonexclusive cooperation.

“China’s oil cooperation helps Sudan develop its economy and fundamentally address the country’s chaos caused by war and its unrest,” said Liu Guijin. He said poverty and lack of development are the root cause of the Darfur issue. Addressing the issue of development will help resolve the Darfur issue once and for all.

According to Liu Guijin, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) owns a certain percentage of stake in the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company (GNPOC), but corporations of other countries own even more of the company’s stocks. He said it was strange that some media singled out the Chinese company for questioning, adding that “China’s normal oil cooperation with Sudan has been politicized.”

Liu Guijin visited Sudan from 19 to 23 May as the Chinese Government’s special representative on Darfur. He met with Sudan’s leaders and several of the country’s ministers. He also personally visited the Darfur region and attended a ceremony for the handover of the third batch of goods and materials in humanitarian aid provided by the Chinese Government to the Darfur region.

(Xinhua in Chinese translated by BBCMS)