China has also actively participated in security issues by diplomatic means. China appointed a special envoy for African affairs in 2007. Since then, China's envoys have visited and mediated between several conflicting parties. In Sudan's case, the mediation was very effective all through the process from the formerly unified Sudan's domestic crisis through South Sudan's internal tensions. China's FM Wang Yi also chaired a discussion on South Sudan's peace process in January 1, 2015.

As a major economic partner, China also contributed to African security by economic means. Weak economies are always among the reasons behind the conflicts. China's economic relations with African countries served to maintain a minimal level of stability, or at least prevented the tensions from getting worse. But unfortunately, economic relations are not proportionately recognized as effective means to address security issues.

All in all, China has played a significant role in maintaining security in Africa by different means. By economic cooperation, China in particular has been a factor in preventing the region's security situation from deteriorating.

The future will certainly see China's increasing engagement in security issues. The Declaration of the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in December 2015 stated that China will support the building of a collective security mechanism in Africa, and jointly manage non-traditional security issues and global challenges such as, but not limited to, food security, energy security, cyber security, climate change, biodiversity conservation, major communicable diseases and transnational crimes.

While China will continuously support Africa in building security by aforementioned means, China will hopefully increase its efforts in helping African countries building its own capacity in dealing with security matters.

As President Xi Jinping promised on security cooperation, China will provide a total of 60 million U.S. dollars in free aid to the African Union to support the building and operation of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for the Immediate Response to Crisis.

Worthy of special mentioning, China's practice in supporting Africa's security governance is quite different from that of the West. China would like to conduct military actions under the UN framework rather than unilaterally; China would like to support African countries in building their own capacity rather than do it by itself; China clearly opined that security issues should be addressed through dialogue and negations rather than by military means. China also regards economic development as the fundamental way to reduce conflicts and tensions.

It is always predicted and even expected that China will get directly involved militarily. But China is least likely to take that path. It is because China strongly adheres to the principle of non-interference, and China also assumes that external intervention often becomes part of the problem rather than a solution to the problem.

Courtesy: Chinausfocus

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/jinliangxiang.htm

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