China uses economic leverage to pressure Sudan on Darfur – US
By Wasil Ali
March 5, 2007 (WASHINGTON) — Beijing’s recent decision to remove Sudan off its list of countries for which it will provide financial incentives to Chinese companies to invest in was aimed to press Khartoum to accept the hybrid UN-AU force in Darfur, the State Department revealed Monday
The Chinese National Development and Reform Commission considered to be the chief economic planning agency in China released its latest list of nations with preferred trade status which excluded Sudan. It was not clear at the time if the motive for the decision was political or economic.
US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said the move by Beijing “sends a very strong signal to the Sudanese Government that the Chinese Government wants to see this AU-UN hybrid force get into Darfur”. McCormack welcomed the step and urged other international partners to continue to pressure Khartoum on the Darfur crisis.
The US has long been critical of China for not using its strong economic ties with Sudan to get them to accept U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur. China buys two-thirds of Sudan‘s oil and is the largest investor in the country. The Chinese president Hu Jintao visited Sudan last month where he signed a series of economic deals. It was also reported that president Hu urged the Sudanese president to accept AU-UN hybrid force in Darfur.
China has left Iran, Sudan, and Nigeria off its latest list of resource-rich countries for which it will provide financial incentives to Chinese companies to invest in, the Financial Times reported on March 2.
China is under pressure from both the US and the European Union to stay out of, or use its leverage in, Iran and Sudan to change the policies of both countries on nuclear issues and human rights respectively.
(ST)