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Sudan: China

Volume 473: debated on Friday 14 March 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on Chinese investment in the Sudanese oil industry and the likely impact of such investments on the conflict in Darfur; and if he will make a statement; (193234)

(2) what the Government’s policy is on Chinese involvement in the Sudanese oil industry; whether he has made representations to his Chinese counterpart on this issue, with particular reference to Darfur; and if he will make a statement.

We are expanding dialogue and co-operation with China on African issues including Sudan, and urging China to use its influence to play a constructive role on Darfur.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister agreed with Premier Wen on 18 January in Beijing to advance the deployment of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, a ceasefire and a political process in Darfur, and that the international community should support recovery and economic reconstruction in Darfur.

We welcome comments at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on 30 January by China’s Special Envoy for Africa, Liu Guijin, calling publicly on the Government of Sudan to do more to end the crisis in Darfur. UK Ministers had further talks on these issues with Chinese counterparts during the Chinese Special Envoy’s visit to the UK on 21-22 February and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary’s visit to China on 25-29 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote awareness of the Darfur crisis in China; whether he has made representations to the Chinese authorities on Chinese investment in Sudan; whether he has been informed by the Chinese government of its intentions regarding the humanitarian crisis in Sudan; and if he will make a statement. (193235)

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister agreed key objectives on Darfur with Chinese Premier Wen in his visit to China on 18 January.

UK Ministers agreed with the Chinese Special Envoy for Africa, Liu Guijin, in London on 21-22 February the key goals of accelerating the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur deployment so as to improve security and humanitarian access, re- energising the Darfur political process, and supporting implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reinforced these messages during his visit to China on 25-29 February, both in talks with Chinese Ministers and in a public speech at Peking University.