Sino-Sudanese Relations: The Implication of China's 'Africa Strategy' on Conflict and Economic Decline in Sudan, 1989-2019
ABSTRACT
The ‘rise of China’ in Africa is presented as a major threat, both to Western interests and to Africa itself. It is a widespread concern that China ‘traps’ African nations into unfair commitments, and that China’s heavy investments on the continent actually hinder Africa’s development. This paper argues that China’s relationship with Sudan under Omar al-Bashir’s dictatorship (1989-2019) hindered long-term economic development (specifically sustained GDP growth), focusing on how China’s economic, military and diplomatic engagement exacerbated internal conflict and bolstered the regime. By focusing on peace as a necessary pillar of economic development, the paper traces how China’s relations with Sudan aggravated decades of conflict, notably in Darfur and South Sudan.
Yet, the narrative of China as an irresponsible, self-interested actor is misguided, evident in the maturation of its ‘subtle’ diplomacy. There was not one distinct ‘Africa strategy’, rather, China’s course of action changed over time, as it became more committed to securing peace in Sudan. This underreported role as a facilitator and negotiator of peace is often dismissed, despite the gains China made at the time. This is coupled with the large-scale infrastructure projects which ultimately did increase productive capacity in the short run, despite benefits being disproportionately enjoyed by elites in Khartoum. By deconstructing the negative portrayal of China as an ill-intentioned actor, we are also drawn to question the paternalistic representation of African governments as oblivious, passive and naïve. Both views stem from Eurocentric understandings of where knowledge and expertise must be located within global power hierarchies. Thus, it is more meaningful to understand China’s relationship with Sudan as a means for the Sudanese government to secure its own interests by gaining access to Chinese funds and support. By considering peace and conflict, we find that, although China did contribute to short term economic growth through its infrastructure projects, this was outweighed by the negative economic consequences of its resource extraction in Sudan, and by the diplomatic and military aid it lent to al-Bashir to pursue blood wars.