China has had a long relationship with Sudan. Amid tensions between Sudan and South Sudan due to the unresolved oil disputes and border demarcation, China and Russia have once again banded together in resisting United Nations sanctions against the two countries. China has previously discussed the oil disputes with Sudan and expressed interest in building ties with South Sudan. Reuters reports:
Delegates from the 15-nation Security Council met on Monday for several hours at the U.S. mission in New York to try to reach an agreement on amending a U.S.-drafted resolution on the two Sudans that council members hope to put to a vote later this week, Western diplomats told Reuters on condition of anonymity. “The draft will probably change before it goes to a vote, which we hope will happen on Wednesday,” a diplomat told Reuters. “China doesn’t want any mention of Article 41.”
Beijing, which has close trade relations with both Khartoum and Juba, has traditionally acted as Sudan’s protector on the council and for years has shielded it from U.S. and European calls for sanctions due to its handling of conflicts in its western Darfur region and elsewhere in the country.
Russia is supporting China’s push to water down the resolution and also dislikes the idea of mentioning Article 41 in the resolution, council diplomats said. Article 41 does not authorize military intervention.
With China and Russia’s joint investment plan and unity on Syria and North Korea, the two countries seem to be deepening their ties on a local level as well. China Daily adds:
Vasiliy Bochkaryov, governor of Penza region, one of 83 such regions in Russia, hopes to cooperate with Chinese local governments in wood processing and vegetable production.
Jiang Yikang, Party secretary of Shandong province, suggested setting up regulated and effective communication mechanisms for local cooperation as soon as possible, adding that Shandong province hopes to increase tourism cooperation with Russia.
Valeriy Radaev, governor of the Saratov region, said he hopes to have more foreign investments from China, and hopes to cooperate with China in science and technology.
Two-way investment has rapidly risen in recent years. By the end of 2011, Russia’s accumulative investment in China was $818 million, mainly in the fields of manufacturing, construction and transport.
