The Study On China's Diplomacy To South Sudan

The development of diplomatic relations between China and South Sudan can be divided into two main phases:the first phase is China's relations with the southern Sudan before and after the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement.Before the signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement,China strictly abided by the diplomatic principle called "non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries" and didn't hold specific position on the peace process.China hoped to influence the peace process indirectly by strengthening bilateral relations with Sudan central government but hardly maintaining official relations with the southern Sudan.But after the signing of the agreement,the referendum which would be held to decide on the ultimate administrative status of southern Sudan was put on the agenda.Considering the possibility of the southern Sudan's independence had been gradually increasing,and after overall evaluation of different factors,China was determined to build relations with the southern Sudan,the two sides began to continuously deepen cooperation in the fields like politics and economy,the two sides' leaders met each other for the first time,and the oil cooperation reached a new stage as well.Besides,China was careful to balance the relations between the north and the south,in regard of sensitive issues,China could handle them impartially and scrupulously.The second phase is China-South Sudan relations after the latter got its independence in 9th,July,2011.This phase was marked and divided by the civil war of South Sudan which broke out in December,2013.Before the outbreak of civil war,"cooperation and assistance" were the main theme of China's diplomacy to South Sudan.China actively developed relations in various fields with South Sudan and provided South Sudan with large scale of assistance,the relations between the two countries developed rapidly.After the devastating civil war broke out,the development of diplomatic relations between the two countries entered a new stage,China's participating in resolving the conflict had become the focus of the two countries' diplomatic relations.As a matter of fact,the specific content in each phase of China's diplomacy to South Sudan is determined by multiple factors.There are,on one hand,domestic factors like national interests and the necessity to make diplomatic transition;on the other hand,external factors like the status quo of Sudan and South Sudan relations,political situations of South Sudan and the need to shoulder international responsibilities.The paper summed up the main features of China's diplomacy to South Sudan on the basis of combing the course of China's diplomacy to South Sudan and generalizing the influential factors affecting China's diplomacy to South Sudan.