China lends support to political process in Sudan

By Hassan Isilow

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday said Beijing is following developments in Sudan and supports the political process aimed at ending the conflict in the African nation.

Xi made the comments during his meeting with head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Beijing.

He said China cherishes the long-standing friendship and solid mutual trust with Sudan. “We are ready to work with Sudan to steadily advance the bilateral strategic partnership,’’ Xi said during their meeting.

Sudan has been mired by fighting between the army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the ruling Sovereign Council, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

The situation in Sudan remains dire amid a deadly conflict that has killed nearly 18,800 people and displaced close to 10 million people since April 2023, according to UN figures.

Xi Jinping also met with Gambia’s President Adama Barrow and expressed readiness to bring China-Gambia friendship and cooperation to new heights.

The Chinese president on Thursday pledged more than $50 billion in funding to the continent, and announced elevating ties with all member nations to a “strategic level.”

On Wednesday, Beijing started hosting the three-day 9th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), where Xi said his government will provide RMB360 billion yuan ($50.7 billion) of financial support over the next three years to African nations.

Xi also met with Madagascar’s President Andry Nirina Rajoelina and assured him that China is ready to work closely with his country to deliver on the outcomes of the FOCAC and further deepen bilateral relations.

“The Chinese and Liberian people stood firmly with each other in the fight against Ebola and COVID-19, and have engaged in sincere cooperation in the fields of national development, adding new strategic dimensions to China-Liberia relations,” Xi said in his meeting with Liberian President Joseph Nyumah Boakai.

The Chinese leader also met with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and President of the Republic of Congo Sassou-N’Guesso among others.