Khartoum: International pressure was on China to try its hand at peacediplomacy today (Feb 2, 2007) as Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived inwar-wracked Sudan, the highlight of an eight-nation tour of Africa.

During his two-day visit to Khartoum, Hu wasexpected to hold talks with President Omar al-Beshir on the situation in thewestern region of Darfur, where a conflictbetween the government and rebels has been raging unabated.

In a statement handed out to reporters at Khartoumairport, Hu said the visit was expected to cement the friendship and expandcooperation between Chinaand Sudan.

China s energy-hungryeconomy the fourth-largest in the world -is badly in need of Sudan and other African countriesresources.

"I believe this visit will not only boost bilateral ties, but also peaceand stability in this region," Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun toldjournalists before Hu set off on his tour.

No other country has more clout over the Khartoumgovernment than China, whichabsorbs 60 percent of Sudans total oil output and has repeatedly used its UN Security Council veto powerto block further sanctions on the regime.

Led by Washington, the international communityhas been pressing Khartoum to accept thedeployment of UN peacekeepers in Darfur, whereAfrican Union troops have failed to quell the bloodshed.

But Beshir has consistently rejected such a move, accusing the United Nationsand Western powers of seeking to invade his country and plunder its resources.

"If the Chinese put some pressure on Khartoum,it might have some potential," said the Save Darfur coalition s LarryRossin, who recently travelled to Khartoumwith US envoy Bill Richardson.

"I hope they can use their influence, to press President Omar al-Beshir toimplement in good faith the hybrid peacekeeping agreement," Rossin told sources.
Khartoum hasyet to approve the final phase of a three-stage plan for UN forces tosupplement the African contingent.

"It is encouraging that the Chinese government has been trying to have avery cooperative partnership and relationship with all African countries,"UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, according to sources.
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At least 200,000 people have been killed and more than two million displaced inDarfur since fighting broke out four yearsago.

China has had deep economicties with Sudansince the 1990s, when other foreign companies pulled out because of the ragingnorth-south civil war.

The China National Petroleum Corporation has huge stakes in Sudan s oilindustry, producing around 500,000 barrels per day. Chinais also building a dam on the Nile, which is currently Africas largest hydro-electric project.

Trade deals are expected to be signed during Hu s visit, further boostingbilateral trade that reached 2.9 billion dollars in the first 11 months of2006.

Hu received a warm welcome Thursday in Liberia, the second leg of his tourof the continent.

He began his tour Tuesday in Cameroon,where he approved grants and loans worth more than 54 million dollars, signinga draft agreement on scrapping Cameroons debt to Chinaand a series of health and educational accords.

Emphasising its commitment to Africa, China said this week it would writeoff debts owed by 33 African countries as part of a multi-billion-dollar pledgemade last year.