PRC-SUDAN RELATIONS

In recent years, China-Sudan relations have caused many academic debates. In particular, China's support of the Sudanese regime during the Sudanese civil war led to an increase in these debates. For this reason, a summary of Chinese-Sudanese relations was written in this article.

Sudan is the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to recognize PRC in 1959. Sudan has been under U.S. sanctions since 1995 in part due to the human rights violations and the country’s past ties to radical terrorists (Song, 2017). The same year Sudan president Al-Bashir signed Sudan’s first oil deal with PRC (Song, 2017). In 1995, Al-Bashir invited CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation) to Sudan and after this time, CNPC started to participate the petroleum bidding and exploration of Sudan (Song, 2017).

When Al-Beshir came to power in Sudan, he decided to travel to PRC in 1995. During his China visit, Al-Beshir requested to help with development of oil resources (Moro, 2012). In 1996, after this request, Chinese, Malaysian and Indian companies started to take over oil operations in Sudan and these companies together continued where US company’s Chevron left off (Moro, 2012). In June 1997, the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company was established with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) taking 40 percent ownership and Malaysia’s Petronas taking 30 percent. India’s ONGC Videsh acquired 25 percent. When these companies took over oil operation in Sudan, there was a conflict in Sudan. Because of conflict, competition in Sudan was low. Three years later, Sudan started to export oil for the first time and for a long time Sudan and PRC reaped benefit from this oil trade (Moro, 2012).

PRC and Sudan are closely linked each other thanks to oil. Also, PRC-Sudan relations has developed quickly since 1990s. Nowadays, PRC is the largest investor in Sudan and also, PRC is top trading partner in Sudan. According to Bank of Sudan statistics, China accounted for 76% of Sudan’s exports and 22% of imports from 2005 to 2009 (Daniel and Luke, 2011). As mentioned before, the oil cooperation is the core of the relationship between China and Sudan.

            PRC uses its veto right to protect Al-Bashir’s regime in UN security council from UN sanctions. PRC also supplies arms to Sudan (Song, 2017). However, PRC falsely accused of being a major source of armaments for Sudan. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s arms transfer database (2016), arms from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine made up the majority — 77 percent — of imports into the Sudanese arsenal from 2007-2016. China was responsible for a modest 19 percent of all military exports to Sudan over the same period (Song, 2017).