The 9th China-Africa Cooperation Forum, held in Beijing from September 4-6, 2024, witnessed a significant presence of African heads of state and government. This forum represents one of the most important tools through which China is strengthening its presence in Africa amid its global rise as a major international power.
Sudan participated in the forum with a high-level delegation led by the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accompanied by the ministers of foreign affairs, finance, and petroleum, as well as the director-general of the defense industries system. This delegation reflects the importance of the economic factor, in addition to the diplomatic dimension, and serves as a crucial platform given Sudan's ongoing war against rebel militias since May 2023 and its policy of turning eastward to gain new allies on the international stage.
Sudan was one of the first countries to establish strong relations with the People's Republic of China in the 1950s when Sudan recognized the PRC at a time when Western countries were imposing a diplomatic blockade on a country whose population represents about a quarter of humanity.
Historically, the Chinese have held deep respect and appreciation for the Sudanese since the 19th century when Sudanese Mahdist revolutionaries beheaded General Gordon, the Governor-General of Sudan during the latter part of Muhammad Ali's rule over Sudan, when the Sudanese regained Khartoum in January 1885. Gordon had previously inflicted great suffering on the Chinese when he was a governor in China.
China seeks to penetrate the African continent at the expense of the Western presence, which has begun to falter and decline. Several factors aid China in this endeavor, including its lack of a colonial history in Africa, its avoidance of occupying countries or humiliating peoples, and its absence of ideological motives. Despite being ruled by the Chinese Communist Party, China does not seek to impose Marxist ideology as the Soviet Union once did, nor does it claim to promote democracy and human rights as the United States does.
In recent times, Sudanese-Chinese relations strengthened in the 1990s, particularly during the early rule of former President Omar al-Bashir, who expelled American companies that had been exploring for oil in Sudan and replaced them with Chinese companies that successfully extracted Sudanese oil in commercial quantities. From there, Sudanese-Chinese cooperation horizons expanded and extended to various fields.
It can be said that Sudan, through its cooperation with China, has opened up avenues for China to enter the African continent, allowing China to expand from Sudan eastward towards Ethiopia and Djibouti, and westward towards Chad and other West African countries.
On the sidelines of the 9th China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Beijing, Sudan capitalized on this opportunity in the military field, which is one of the forum's most significant practical achievements for Sudan. The Sudanese News Agency reported on its website on September 6, 2024: "Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, witnessed the signing of an agreement between the Defense Industries System and the Chinese POLY Corporation for strategic cooperation in vital and defense fields, in the presence of the Sudanese ambassador to China, Ambassador Omar Siddiq, and leaders of the system and the Chinese company."
This agreement comes within the framework of providing effective defense support across various military fronts. These contracts will contribute to the sustainability of the country's defense and security readiness. On behalf of the system, General Mirghani Idris Suleiman, the director-general of the defense industries system, signed the agreement, while on behalf of the company, Xuyan Jimin, the director-general of POLY Corporation, signed. He affirmed that this agreement with Sudan strengthens the principle of the strategic partnership between China and Sudan.
This agreement is significant in the context of the war that Sudan has been waging against rebel militias since May 2023. Furthermore, Sudan has secured Chinese diplomatic support calling for Sudan's unity and security in the face of regional and international forces seeking to undermine this.
The Sudanese News Agency quoted Xi Jinping the Chinese president himself on its website on September 6 as saying: On our part, we affirm our country's support for Sudan in international and regional forums, and we reject foreign interference in Sudan's internal affairs. We will support Sudan's unity and security.
Xi expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council for accepting the invitation to participate in the China-Africa Cooperation Forum summit, expressing satisfaction with the level of relations between the two countries. He highlighted the long-standing historical and deep friendship between Sudan and China, affirming his country's aspiration to promote and strengthen cooperation in all fields and to contribute to the reconstruction and development of Sudan after the end of the war.
It can be said that Sudan has taken significant steps towards the East and strengthening cooperation with China, which has reciprocated in kind, and that this will positively impact Sudan in the context of the war it is waging against rebel militias.
On the African level, Al Jazeera Net reported on September 6 a number of benefits that the African continent gains from the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. It stated: "The China-Africa Cooperation Forum represents the general framework within which projects are discussed, especially infrastructure projects, as they are the cornerstone on which the Belt and Road Initiative is based. This initiative is China's response to the US strategy 'Pivot to Asia,' through redrawing the maps of trade around the world, where Africa represents the central point, in ways that put China in an advanced geopolitical position at the expense of the United States or Europe."
Since the establishment of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, 100,000 kilometers of highways, 1,000 bridges, and about 100 ports have been built or upgraded in a number of countries on the continent.
The Surge in Chinese Loans
Since the establishment of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in 2000, there has been a notable increase in Chinese loans directed towards financing infrastructure sectors, including roads, railways, ports, and power plants.
It is evident that China is moving forward with rapid strides and tangible projects on the African continent. This has future implications and strategic political ramifications, especially in the context of the international competition for the African continent.
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