thedregs

I searched the forums but couldn't find any mention of this. For those unfamiliar with the situation, China has been under some international pressure to support peacekeeping efforts in Darfur. Despite threats to boycott the Beijing Olympics, China refuses to back down on its stance that it is no way responsible for the actions of the Sudanese government. However, a series of shorts produced by VBS.TV investigating the Sudanese conflict seems to implicate China somewhat more than they'd probably appreciate.

The 'war for oil' argument has become so much of a cliche now it's almost painful to hear, but is it conceivable that countries might be actively encouraging internal conflicts for their own gains? With the growing demand for fossil fuels, it's not entirely inconceivable. Thoughts?

Willravel

I'm just as disappointed in China as I am with my own government in their ignorant and immoral pursuit of oil at any cost.
Sudan is China's largest overseas oil project. China is Sudan's largest supplier of arms, according to a former Sudan government minister. Chinese-made tanks, fighter planes, bombers, helicopters, machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades have intensified Sudan's two-decade-old north-south civil war.

China has used its veto at the UN Security Council to block moves to impose sanctions on Sudan unless it stops the fighting in Darfur.

thedregs

Yeah, part of me really wants to believe that it's all hyperbole. After all, the figures are ridiculous - something like 400,000 dead and millions displaced. But the fact that these VBS guys manage to talk to primary sources who corroborate the allegations against China and the suspicious stance they're taking doesn't give such a great impression. I just wonder if the recent assassination of a US diplomat will give the conflict a higher profile. Perhaps that and the new craze for biofuels will see a possible decrease in their involvement? I don't know.

joshbaumgartner

Surely we didn't expect different from an aggressive, growing world power that practices their particular brand of realpolitik?

War over oil may be a cliche that seems to be repeating itself far too often, but get used to it. As long as consumption grows while we now can clearly see the downslope on the other side of the oil hill, competition to control the remaining reserves will grow more intense. I don't believe scarcity makes war inevitable, just more difficult to avoid, but with oil it is going to be very difficult in many places.

MSD

War may not be about oil, but it's foolish to discount it as a major factor in international relations.

joshbaumgartner

Well it certainly is rarely the 'only' reason, but you are right, it will usually be a factor in most conflicts and shapes many of the world's relationships to some degree.