Are They For Real? - Chinese Troop Deployment to Darfur

Edward Cody of the Washington Post comments on Chinese plans to deploy military engineering troops in Darfur. As part of the UN peacekeeping mission, this is mainly seen as a measure of goodwill towards the EU and USA, where NGOs have voiced outrage on the ongoing conflict.

China purchases oil from Sudan and conducts arm sales to Darfur, transactions that have been continually criticized by the international community. While violent clashes in Darfur continue, Sudan’s president Omar Hassan al-Bashir insists that African Union troops retain control despite a UN security council resolution to send 20,000 more UN troops to the region.