Evolution of Chinas Humanitarian Assistance: From the Darfur Crisis to South Sudan Biya HAN UN Central Emergency Response Fund; LIU Ge Trilateral Cooperation.

Evolution of China’s Humanitarian

Assistance:

From the Darfur Crisis to South Sudan

Biya HAN UN Central Emergency Response Fund;

LIU GeTrilateral Cooperation Secretariat;

& Eun Mee KimGraduate School of International Studies, Ewha Womans

University

DSA 2012 Annual Conference November 3, 2012

Table of Contents

I. IntroductionII. Overview of China’s Development

Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance Policies and Practice

III. China’s Humanitarian Assistance to Darfur Compared to South Sudan IV. Conclusion

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I. Introduction• Criticisms of China’s global role in

development cooperation (South-South Cooperation)

• China’s growing presence in international humanitarian assistance(IHA): – Has China become a more “globally

responsible citizen”?– Has the global community embraced

China’s growing role?What can we learn from China’s IHA in the

Darfur Crisis vs. South Sudan?

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Definitions of Humanitarian Assistance

1. OECD and UN agencies: Assistance designed to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies.

2. OECD (2007): Short-term aid is provided during sudden natural or man made disasters as well as support for disaster preparedness and mitigation.

3. World Bank: Humanitarian aid does not target states and their development, but individuals, independent of race, country or citizenship.

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China’s Development Cooperation (South-South Cooperation)

Principles and Strategies1. 1964 Aid principles: Equality, Mutual Benefit, Respect for Sovereignty

of State, No Conditions2. 1978 Policy Reform: More Pragmatic approach to development

cooperation; Multilateral aid3. 2011 “Go Forward into the World” as the Chinese National Foreign

Strategy

Aid Volume 1. The Chinese government does not offer comprehensive data on its

foreign aid2. China’s foreign aid volume: About USD 2.5 billion (Lancaster 2007)3. 256.29 billion yuan in aid (2011, White Paper)

1.Key Characteristics 1. Bilateral2. Aid as a part of a development package including investment and trade3. Economic infrastructure sector (61%)4. Tied aid; extensive use of Chinese goods labor force

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II. Overview of China’s Development Cooperation (South-South Cooperation) and

Humanitarian Assistance

China’s Aid to Africa China has given foreign assistance to 48 African countries (1956-2012). About 46.7 percent of China’s total aid has been to Africa “Five Cornerstones” (Jiang Zemin, President of China, 1993-2003): “Six Pillars” (Hu Jintao, President of China, 2003-present):

China-Africa RelationsDiversify oil and natural supply sourcesSecure leading role in Africa and develop markets Forum on China - Africa Cooperation (FOCAC 2000) : Africa is second largest source of China's crude oil imports (24%), followed by the Middle East (51%). Sudan and South Sudan are the third largest African oil supplier (US Energy Information Administration 2011).

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Comparison of Development Cooperation: Global Patterns vs. the

Chinese WayGlobal Patterns China

1. Terminology of Foreign Aid

Official Development Assistance (ODA): Grants &

Concessional Loans

South-South Cooperation:

Grants, Interest free loan & Concessional

loans from the Ministry of Finance and EXIM

bank

2. Economic vs. Social Development

Social development;Social infrastructure

Economic development;Economic infrastructure

3. National Interest vs. Humanitarian Needs

National interest Humanitarian needs of development partners

National interest In process of changing

4. Key Characteristics

• Accountability • Sustainability• Conditionality (human

rights, good governance, environment)

• Quick and immediate impact

• Tied aid 7

Comparison of Humanitarian Assistance:

Global Patterns vs. the Chinese WayGlobal Patterns China

1. Economic Status of Donor(s)

Developed countries Developing country

2. Definition of Humanitarian Aid

Short-term aid;Sudden natural or man-made disasters (OECD)

Part of development aid;Blurred definition &

understanding between foreign aid &

humanitarian assistance

3. Funding Mechanism

Centralized : Official Development

Assistance (ODA)

Decentralized: South-South

Cooperation: Grants, Interest free loan &

Concessional loans from the Ministry of Finance

and EXIM bank

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III. China’s Humanitarian Assistance to Darfur Crisis Compared to South

Sudan 1. Background1) Sudan until 2011• Independence in 1956 from British and Egypt• War broke out between Muslim vs. Christian & native religion• Major oil found in 1983• 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement• 2011 July South Sudan became independent

2) Darfur Crisis (2003-2010)• Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) vs. Janjaweed • Accusing the government of oppressing black Africans in favor of Arabs• 300,000 died, 2.7 million displaced, 200,000 refugees fled to Chad • Genocide, ethnic cleansing, massive rape• Indictment of the President of Sudan (International Criminal Court [ICC])Humanitarian Crisis

3) South Sudan (2011-present)• During 40 year’s long war, 2 million people died, 4 million were displaced • High oil dependence: 98% of the government revenue • Humanitarian indicators : - Food insecurity: 50% (4.7 M) of the population - Infant mortality: 170 per 1,000 (World Bank 2011) - Maternal mortality: 135 per 1,000 - Malnutrition rate under 5 – 15-22% (Unicef 2012)  Humanitarian Crisis

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2. Two Tales of China’s Intervention in Two Humanitarian Crises:

Darfur vs. South SudanDarfur Crisis (2003-10)

South Sudan (2011-present)

Similarities (China)

1. Non- interference policy; aid without conditions2. Humanitarian assistance as part of development aid3. Bilateral and Infrastructure-oriented aid

Differences

(China)

1. Bilateral aid only2. Infrastructure stands alone (mainly oil related)3. Provision of standard HA

package4. Avoidance of global issues China acted on its own.

1. Bilateral and multilateral aid (UN agencies : WFP, UNDP)

2. Provision of infrastructure and social services

3. Alignment with South Sudan’s national strategy, need-based approach

4. Cooperation with global agenda China acting as part of Int’l

community

Global Communit

y

How China was perceived1. Humanitarian assistance space

was very limited.2. Global Community did not

include China in the global discussions

3. Global Community heavily criticized for China’s “Non- interference “policy and not using its influence properly to help resolve the crisis

What China has been doing

1. China is acting more in line with global standards in practice

2. China slowly winning the hearts of South Sudanese with its long-term commitment

3. China acting as a mediator

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Factors Contributing to the Differences/Changes in China’s Involvement in the Two Crises

1. Global political environment Darfur- (part of condemned state) China was Isolated from the West . Vetoed UNSC motions China was major economic partner as well as important political patron

S. Sudan - (a new nation) China is freely offering aid as part of int’l community.

From receiving criticism To growing expectations of China’s role as major player toward nation building and a

mediator between Sudan and South Sudan toward bringing peace

2. China’s global role•China has begun to consider its global image and influence as well national pride as a new world leader•More active engagement with multilateral agencies: UN Peacekeeping Mission, WFP, UNDP•More active participation in global forums: HLF-4 (Busan, South Korea, 2011), Rio + 20 (Rio, Brazil, 2012) Good Humanitarian Donorship (GHD) initiative

3. Analysis of China’s Humanitarian Assistance to Darfur vs. South Sudan

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4. Key Findings

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1) Earlier studies on China’s development cooperation were critical of China’s strong national interest-based aid.

2) China’s development cooperation and increasing humanitarian assistance cannot be explained solely by national interest.

3) Chinese political, economic interests: In Africa, Sudan and South Sudan are China’s important economic partners (trade and resources). Therefore, it is very important to maintain security and stability in both countries.

4) Global pressure, and China’s own recognition of its growing global influence, have led to changes in China’s behavior in IHA.

1. Significance for academic research on China and Development Cooperation

1) More empirical research is needed to better understand China’s S-S Cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

2) Determinants of China’s IHA have changed: national interest more recognition of humanitarian needs

3) China is behaving more in line with global norms for humanitarian assistance

2. Policy Recommendations for the Global Community3. Recognize China as an important player in IHA in terms of

volume and content; Not as a competitor but as a complementary partner

2. Encourage China to play a more important role in the global aid community: e.g. as a mediator in Africa, as a leader in disaster mitigation sector

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IV. Conclusion

3 . Policy Recommendations for China

1)Understand the responsibility that comes with its influential role2)Rethink the scope of S-S Cooperation

• More engagement with global forums and global issues - climate change, environment, etc.

• From economic infrastructure-focused assistance to social infrastructure and service

• Involve the civil society and emphasize local capacity building

3)Play a more active role as a mediator

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Any Any Questions?Questions?

Thank You!Thank You!