The Chinese Ministry of Defense announced the sending of warships to Sudan to evacuate its nationals due to the crisis it is currently witnessing due to the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, with the Chinese Ministry of Defense intensifying its efforts to evacuate its nationals and diplomatic missions from Sudan by land, sea and air, due to the deteriorating security situation in the country and the continuation of fighting.  Between the army forces led by Lieutenant General “Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan” and the Rapid Support Forces led by Lieutenant General “Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo” (Hemedti). Hence, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced that it would send several ships from its naval force to northeastern Africa, specifically the country of Sudan, to help its citizens leave, given the state of chaos it is currently witnessing. Battles have been taking place in Sudan between the regular army and the Rapid Support Forces, which defected from the army, since mid-April, and several battles for power are taking place between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which have led to hundreds of deaths and caused severe shortages of water, food, medicine, and fuel. Therefore, several countries, including China, are seeking to evacuate their citizens by sea, air or land. Here, the war in Sudan puts a serious impact on China’s attempts to make peace in the Horn of Africa region and the broader picture of the development-focused peacemaking model, which featured prominently in previous mediation attempts in South Sudan before its secession.

   Accordingly, China took rapid action to evacuate Chinese nationals and diplomats, and this appeared through the Chinese embassy in Sudan issuing security warnings to Chinese citizens and institutions. It also helped respond to requests for (emergency assistance) immediately after the outbreak of the crisis, and the Chinese Ministry of Defense deployed its naval fleet to rescue Chinese citizens and embassy staff from Sudan, in order to protect the lives and property of the Chinese people in Sudan. The number of Chinese citizens is estimated at about 1,500 Chinese citizens at the beginning of the outbreak of the current crisis in Sudan. In the same context, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it had implemented what is known as (an emergency mechanism for consular protection), and had communicated and coordinated with various departments, local governments, embassies and consulates in Sudan and neighboring countries, in order to formulate an evacuation and transfer plan for Chinese citizens out of Sudan.

  The sensitivity of China’s position comes in view of the increasing interest in Sudan during the recent period and the tendency of the Sudanese transitional leadership to strengthen relations with it despite the rapprochement efforts with the United States of America and Western powers led by civilian political forces.  Here, Chinese interest in Sudan’s location on the Red Sea is increasing, as it is a vital corridor for global trade, and it also represents a major corridor within the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. Hence, the stability of Sudan and the keeping of its coasts safe and away from great power competition constitute a vital guarantee for China’s trade and interests in the Horn of Africa region and the security of its naval base in Djibouti. For this reason, the seven programs announced by the Chinese President “Xi Jinping”  in his speech during the opening of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2021 included a special program for peace and security in the Horn of Africa region on the borders of Sudan and for the benefit of the African continent as a whole.

 Hence came the Chinese decision to appoint “Xue Ping” as a special envoy for peace in the Horn of Africa region in February 2022, and it held the first conference on “Peace, Governance and Development between China and the Horn of Africa” in June 2032 in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and China strengthened the pillars of its discourse by rejecting foreign interference and its readiness.  To mediate between the countries of the region and the conflicting forces in Sudan, as well as providing regional economic integration within the framework of Belt and Road projects as a sustainable means of building peace in Sudan and the region.

   After the outbreak of the raging conflict in Sudan, statements from the Chinese Ministry of Defense came through General “Tan Kefei”, that in view of the continuing deterioration of the security situation in Sudan, and in order to protect the lives and property of Chinese citizens, the Chinese Navy has sent ships to recover and evacuate Chinese nationals from the State of Sudan.  Beijing announced that it had succeeded in evacuating the first group of its citizens, who were living in Sudan before the fighting began, with about 1,500 Chinese citizens. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had launched an emergency consular assistance mechanism to protect the safety of Chinese citizens and Chinese institutions operating in Sudan, while warning Chinese citizens against traveling to Sudan. The Chinese Foreign Ministry also appealed to Chinese citizens already present in Sudan to report their information as soon as possible.  The embassy also sent security warnings to Chinese citizens in the country and contacted all Chinese companies to verify the status of Chinese citizens inside Sudanese territory.

  Knowing that China is Sudan’s largest trading partner and that more than 130 Chinese companies were making investments and working there in mid-2022. Therefore, China’s decision came through what was announced by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman “Mao Ning”, that about 800 Chinese citizens will be evacuated from Sudan by sea, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirming that 300 Chinese citizens have already arrived and left Sudan by land to neighboring countries more secure and stable.

  On the other hand, China officially announced, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its concern about the developments in the scene in Sudan, and urged both sides of the conflict to cease fire and prevent the situation from worsening.  China’s keenness to interact with the escalating events in Sudan reflects its interest in strengthening its vision for global security, and highlighting its role as a force that fosters peace, as well as its interest in achieving an advantage for China in the race of great powers in the Horn of Africa region, led by the United States of America and its Western allies.  China has also continued to support Sudan politically and economically, and has abstained from voting on international resolutions regarding imposing sanctions on Khartoum on many occasions. China’s abstention from voting on the UN Security Council resolution renewing the sanctions imposed on Sudan on March 9, 2023 came with its call on all parties to the Sudanese crisis to overcome differences through dialogue and a smooth transfer of power, as well as China’s call on the international community to re-support and assist Sudan in  Overcoming difficulties in economic and social development, while rejecting foreign interference in Sudan’s internal affairs, and the Chinese call for lifting sanctions against it.

  Hence China’s keenness to intervene to calm the current Sudanese crisis, and with the recent outbreak of conflict in Sudan, China urged both parties to the armed conflict to cease fire, avoid further escalation, and conduct dialogue. The recent period has witnessed an active movement by China to mediate to resolve existing conflicts and enter the world stage as a great power. It played the role of mediator in the Saudi-Iranian reconciliation, expressed its willingness to mediate in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and also announced a peace document regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war.