China for change?

The BBC reported today that China is beginning to change its tune in regard to Darfur. China buys over 60% of its oil from Sudan, is working on building roads and bridges there, and sells military equipment to Sudan. The BBC article, though vague in describing China's actions, reported that China did begin to pressure President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan to end the violence in Darfur and encouraged him to allow a hybrid peacekeeping force of United Nations and African Union soldiers into Darfur to protect civilians. Bashir has refused to let such a force into Sudan. Because of China's important economic relations with Sudan, China could possibly use that as leverage to encourage the government in Khartoum to put an end to the Darfur genocide. China could also continue to ignore the violence in Darfur in order to maintain its alliance with Sudan.

The article left me feeling hopeful until I read the following quote from one BBC correspondent, saying, "Thanks to its close ties with Beijing, Khartoum no longer has to worry about what the Western world has to say about the conflict in Darfur."