Eyeing oil, China’s Hu promises strong ties with South Sudan
(Adds comment from Chinese envoy)
BEIJING, July 10 (Reuters) – Chinese President Hu Jintao
congratulated South Sudan on its independence, promising strong
ties between the two countries as China seeks to retain its
access to Sudanese oil supplies.
China is a major buyer of Sudanese crude oil, and has been
keen to ensure the partition of Sudan into two states would not
descend into fighting that could disrupt supplies and damage
Beijing’s stake on both sides of the new border.
China has long had close relations with the government in
Khartoum, but has been moving to ensure it also remains friendly
with South Sudan, where the majority of the old unified Sudan‘s
oil reserves were.
“Although China and the Republic of South Sudan are
separated by thousands of miles, the two peoples have a deep
traditional friendship and common wish to enhance friendly
exchanges,” Hu told President Salva Kiir in a telephone call.
“China‘s establishment of diplomatic ties with South Sudan
has opened a new chapter in relations between the two
countries,” Hu said, according to a statement released by the
Foreign Ministry late on Saturday on its website
(www.mfa.gov.cn).
Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3E7IA06J20110710
Category: South Sudan News
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