China's Economic Relationship with Sudan

• China is Sudan's largest trading partner – purchasing some 70% of Sudan's global exports, and providing approximately 20% of its global imports. Sudan, in turn, is China's third largest trading partner in Africa. Sudan accounts for 13% of China's total trade with Africa.
• Sudan exports approximately 500,000 barrels of oil per day.  Two-thirds of that is directly exported to China.  This accounts for 10% of China's total imports; therefore, Sudan's economy is more dependent upon China than China's upon Sudan.
• China's National Petroleum Company owns 40 percent of the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, a consortium that dominates Southern Sudan's oil fields.  This is the largest foreign owner of any Sudanese oil concession.
• Sudanese government uses 80% of its oil revenues to fund its armed forces. 
• China currently has $3 billion invested in the Sudanese energy sector and has provided $20 million for a presidential palace in Khartoum.
• China has cancelled $100 million in debt owed by the Sudanese Government.

The Arms Trade

• Sudan has imported at least $24,000,000 in arms and ammunition from the People's Republic of China, as well as $57,000,000 in parts and aircraft equipment and $2,000,000 in helicopter and airplane parts from China making it Sudan's largest arms supplier.
• Chinese arms sales with Sudan rose by 25% between 2002 and 2005. 
• Beijing finances and supplies arms such as aircraft, weapons, and helicopter gunships, including such hi-tech equipment as Chinese T96 tanks, upgraded T59D tanks and T92 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles fitted with Russian 2A72 30-mm cannon guns.
• Other Chinese materiel currently in use by the Sudanese army includes Type 54 122-mm howitzers, Type 59-I 130-mm cannons, Type 81 122-mm rocket guns, Type 59 57-mm air-defense guns, mortars of different calibers, eight J-6 fighters and a number of J-7M fighters.
• Despite an arms embargo which forbids the import of weapons into Darfur (UN Security Council Resolution 1591), international human rights organizations have verified that these weapons have been used in the violence in Darfur.
• Sudan procured 222 vehicles from Dongfeng Automobile Import and Export Limited in China. Amnesty International reports that "throughout the massacres in Darfur in 2004, military trucks were being used to transport both Sudanese military and Janjaweed militia personnel, and in some cases to deliver people for extrajudicial execution.
• China enhanced Khartoum's production ability so they can start to autonomously build their own weapons. 

China's Humanitarian Aid in Darfur

• China has given only $11 million for humanitarian aid in Darfur since the crisis began.
• Special Envoy Liu quoted Sudanese President al-Bashir as saying that the Sudanese government is also devoted to improving the humanitarian situation in Darfur and has been trying best to facilitate humanitarian assistance by international aid groups."

China's Political Role

• From the beginning of the conflict in 2003 until 2007, China abstained from voting on every UN Resolution on Darfur, (1556, 1564, 1591, 1593,1672, and 1706) and Continues to threaten to veto any sanctions on the oil industry.
• China voted in favor of UN Resolution 1769, calling for a joint United Nations/African Union peacekeeping force (called UNAMID) of 26,000 for Darfur, after severely weakening it. 
• Many people believe that the actions that China has taken, including voting for Resolution 1796 and naming a Special Envoy on Darfur, Liu Guijin, is in reaction to the worldwide pressure on China related to the Olympics.
• China says it will not support any resolution trying to force Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers in Darfur.
• China said that it 'was not able' to supply any helicopters to the UNAMID force.

Why use the Beijing Olympics to pressure China?

• China is generally impervious to criticism of its actions, but they are very concerned about their reputation as the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing approach.
• A worldwide campaign, called "Dream for Darfur", has begun to pressure the Chinese to use its influence with the Sudanese regime to allow a robust civilian protection force into Darfur.
• There is a limited time frame and very concrete actions that the Chinese Government can take – for instance publicly criticizing Sudan for its actions or publicly calling on the Sudanese Government to accept the peacekeeping force – before the Games begin.
• Activists are not calling for a boycott of the games, but rather to leverage the Olympics to urge China to use its influence with the Sudanese regime to allow a robust civilian protection force into Darfur.