Turbulent conflict in the world’s newest country, South Sudan, has invited China’s presence to mediate the peace process. The crisis in South Sudan is challenging China’s longstanding principle of non-interference. Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, has repeatedly asserted that Beijing’s main intention in Africa is to ensure stability and resilience for African states.

The energy sector dominates China-South Sudan relations. Before the crisis hit the country, South Sudan contributed 5% of China’s oil needs.

The conflict erupted in late 2013 after South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir, accused his former deputy of attempting a coup d’etat. An agreement was signed in 2018 to bring peace after a number of failures and unresolved tribal sentiment in the country. During the conflict, South Sudan oil production decreased dramatically. The conflict killed countless civilians and generated concerns for Beijing to protect its economic interests.

Beijing quasi-mediation role

Many observers have been skeptical of China’s presence in trying to mediate the South Sudan peace process, given its limited experience in mediating other internal conflicts. Some argue that South Sudan is China’s mini-laboratory for its security and foreign policy experiments.

China’s presence in South Sudan is more about protecting its assets and investments instead of resolving the conflict. On several occasions, Wang Yi, expressed Beijing’s involvement in the mediation process as a form of responsibility to protect regional security.

China as a third party

Given its quasi role in South Sudan mediation, China tends to follow the peace process accord rather than leading the process. China wants to seek de-escalation instead of conflict resolution.

On the other side, China is seemingly committed to leveraging its commercial interests in South Sudan. This situation leads China to have a strategic measure as well as a holistic approach to handling the South Sudan crisis.

The main actor in the South Sudan peace process was the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). China has been using the IGAD as an umbrella for its involvement in the South Sudan peace process.

Shortly before the agreement on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan was signed in 2015, the IGAD initiated a conflict resolution coalition called IGAD-PLUS, in which China became one of the members.

China relished its role as a member for three reasons.

First, China has benefited from the political legitimacy of being a member of the conflict resolution body. It affords China a portfolio as a peacekeeper.

Second, China needs a stable South Sudan.

Lastly, these mechanisms preserve China’s longstanding principle of non-interference.

Considering China’s new direction, this approach has been widely used by Beijing in the Middle East and North African conflicts. It is a result of China’s growing economic influence in many developing countries.

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