Cairo: Expectations were high ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao s visit to Sudan amid signs the Asian giant is ready to flex its diplomatic muscle, with observers arguing it could succeed where months of Western pressure has failed to curb the violence in Darfur.

China is by far the biggest foreign economic player in Sudan and has for the first time shown willingness to use its trade ties with Khartoum to push for a cessation of hostilities in the war-ravaged western region.

Hu is expected in Khartoum on Friday for a two-day visit as part of an eight-nation tour of Africa.

"I believe this visit will not only boost bilateral ties, but also peace and stability in this region," assistant foreign minister Zhai Jun told journalists before Hu set off on his tour.

Chinese officials visiting Sudan had until recently said Beijing would pursue its economic interests on the continent without delving into politics, drawing accusations it was fueling Africa s conflicts.

But analysts say Hu s visit could herald a new attitude as China appears increasingly concerned with its image and seeks to assert itself on the international diplomatic stage.

"If the Chinese put some pressure on Khartoum, it might have some potential," said Larry Rossin of the Save Darfur coalition, who recently travelled to Khartoum with US envoy Bill Richardson," he said.

"I hope they can use their influence. To press President Omar al-Beshir to implement in good faith the hybrid peacekeeping agreement," Rossin told sources.

"They ve told us they were engaged in quiet diplomacy. The way they ve announced the visit is significant in itself," he added.

After Western powers failed to obtain Khartoum s approval for a UN troop deployment in Darfur, a deal was reached for a three-phase plan that is meant to culminate with the establishment of a "hybrid" UN-African force.

Khartoum has yet to formally endorse the plan and has so far only accepted aspects of the package providing for UN technical and logistical support to the existing 7,000-strong force of African Union monitors.

"I think China is interested in playing a role, as requested by the US," said Suliman Baldo, a Sudanese jurist with the International Centre for Transitional Justice. "It sees an opportunity to assert its authority in the world," he said.

US special envoy for Sudan Andrew Natsios visited Beijing during the first half of January and predicted China would be helpful in finding a solution to the four-year-old crisis in Darfur.

"China has its economic interests in Sudan but it has also established diplomatic relations with (neighbouring) Chad and invested in the oil sector there, so stability is also in its own interest," Baldo told sources.

Speaking in Cairo on his way back from the World Economic Forum in Davos, prominent Chinese economist and MP Cheng Siwei spoke about Beijing s new foreign policy focus on the rule of virtue" and "safeguarding world peace.

"Five years ago, everybody talked about the Chinese threat now I am very glad to see that everybody is talking about China s responsibility," he said.

"China is very sensitive to its image," said Baldo, who remained sceptical about the chances of Hu s visit yielding a major breakthrough in efforts to stop bloodshed which has left at least 200,000 people dead and displaced millions.

"What is needed is multilateral diplomacy, but I don t think it s going to come around. There s little clear leadership from anyone and Darfur still isn't the world s priority," he said.

Trade deals are expected to be signed during Hu s visit, further boosting bilateral trade that reached 2.9 billion dollars in the first 11 months of 2006.
China s energy-hungry economy -the world s fourth largest has aggressively invested in mineral-rich Africa, including Sudan, which produces around 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

"I don t think the Chinese are the miracle cure but they can exercise more pressure than most others," Rossin said.