China's Role in International Conflict Management: Sudan and South Sudan - Global Review

In December 2012 the Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS) published the Winter 2012 issue of Global Review.

China’s Special Representative for Africa, Ambassador Zhong Jianhua, and the EU Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan, Dame Rosalind Marsden, have both contributed to this special issue. Six other articles have been written by experts from the Center for West Asian and African Studies of SIIS, Fudan University, the University of Juba, the Africa-Asia Centre of School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and Saferworld.

In his introduction, “The Sudan–South Sudan reconciliation: More patience and efforts needed”, Ambassador Zhong Jianhua outlines the current challenges Sudan and South Sudan are facing, reviewing the conflict and peace processes between the two countries. He summarises China’s efforts to assist and expresses his hopes that the international community continues to support the goal of peace.  

EU Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan Dame Rosalind Marsden lists the fighting in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states, alongside continued insecurity in Darfur, as of major concern for the EU. In “The EU and the Sudans” she points out that the EU has adopted a comprehensive approach to address on-going instability, listing democratisation, good governance, human rights, and providing humanitarian and development assistance as core components of the EU’s engagement in both Sudan and South Sudan.

Articles by three Chinese scholars examine the development of China’s policy towards the two Sudans, its engagement in the conflict management of the Darfur issue, and its contribution to peace operations: “China’s relations with two Sudans: From ‘One Country, Two System’ to ‘Two Countries, One System’” by Dr Zhang Chun, “China in the international conflict-management: Darfur as a case” by Dr Jian Junbo, and “China’s role in Sudan and South Sudan peacekeeping operations” by Dr Xue Lei.

Saferworld’s Thomas Wheeler contributed an article entitled “Development through peace: Could China’s economic co-operation with South Sudan be more conflict-sensitive?” where he illustrates the links between economic co-operation and insecurity. In “China, Sudan and South Sudan relations”, Dr Leben Moro reviews the evolution of China’s relations with the old Sudan, calling for Beijing to increase its engagement with civil society. In “The history of South Sudan’s Chinese future”, Daniel Large provides his analysis of the unique historic links between China and Sudan, and their current significance to South Sudan.

Disclaimer:

*These articles were first published in the Winter 2012 issue of Global Review, a publication by Shanghai Institute for International Studies (SIIS).

*The information and views set out in these articles are those of the author/s and do not necessarily reflect the official views and positions of Saferworld.

“How to enlarge consensus, promote negotiations, maintain and solidify the current proactive momentum, and speed up the appropriate settlement of the remaining issues between the two sides have become the international community's common challenge and mission.”

Ambassador Zhong Jianhua, China’s Special Representative for Africa