tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post6370841389407754352..comments2024-01-30T05:43:28.525-08:00Comments on the capital in the north: China, South Sudan's independence and the scramble for oil.Ji Xianghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03406727999722525339noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8533171043031843199.post-77507875288744370712011-08-24T01:22:06.813-07:002011-08-24T01:22:06.813-07:00Agreed about dependence on fossil fuels being the ...Agreed about dependence on fossil fuels being the root of the problem. Also agree that China will likely be a long-term benefactor of increased oil production in South Sudan (if this is what happens).<br /><br />Despite endless pronunciamentos about the illegitimacy of secession and invasion, China has actually been quite pragmatic in its policies towards resource-rich nations. As soon as it was obvious that Gaddafi was finished, they dropped him, Chinese oil companies were the biggest winners from the post-invasion contracts in Iraq. Were the governments of China's semi-allies in Iran and Burma to topple, China would not be very long at all in recognising the new governments. It is only in areas where China has little to gain that it sticks to a hard anti-scession line, an example of this being Kosovo.<br /><br />Even in the case of the north Sudanese government, it would be an exaggeration to say that China is really their ally. China did not veto the resolution tasking the ICC with investigating war crimes in the area, for example. In fact, you can see a steady development of a more responsible line in Chinese foreign policy, from Rwanda, where China vetoed investigation into the genocide, to Sudan, where China did not vote, to Libya, where China voted in favour of Resolution 1970 and did not veto Resolution 1973.Gilman Grundyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06607416440240634159noreply@blogger.com