Conflict Tests on D -C Congo China for Diplomatic Balancing the Law

China’s efforts to build huge business interests in Africa were accompanied by a careful policy of maintaining neutrality – but conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo caused a change in its approach.

Rwanda is widely accused of increasing the fighting in the mineral area, and Beijing, who has close relationships with both Dr. Congo and Rwanda, has joined the critic in recent weeks.

But he is trying to go to diplomatic tigtrop to maintain good relations with both sides, while continuing to manage his business – and to buy decisive minerals.

For decades, China has been careful not to accept conflicts in Africa, so as not to create problems that could interfere with its vast trade interests.

So far, it has deviated from the criticism of African governments to support participants in conflict.

For example, China said a little about a 2020 coup series in the Sahel region in West Africa, except for the summoning of leaders to look at people’s interests.

Beijing has long been pursuing a policy at a non -internal affair in another country, says Prof. Ju Yuwan, who specializes in African development and security at the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies (SIIS).

He therefore avoids proposing conflict solutions, in addition to summoning diplomatic or political efforts by international organizations such as the UN or the African Union.

The riots involving Rwanda -Beck rebels M23 in the East Congo, again raised their heads in 2021. Fighters are led by ethnic tuts who say they have taken up weapons for the protection of the rights of the minority group -and because the Congoan authorities are renewed.

In its early comments on these developments, China is limited to criticizing the unnamed “foreign forces” to provide support to M23 fighters.

But over the last few weeks, she has interrupted her usual practice and refers to Rwanda by name.

This follows big profits from M23, which has caught the key cities of Goma and Bukavu since January.

“China confirms its hope that Rwanda will suspend its military support for M23 and will immediately withdraw all its military forces from the DRC territory,” the UN Ambassador said in February.

Prof. Zhou notes that, although significant, “the wording as a whole is still relatively light.”

China hoped that Rwanda would stop his support, but he didn’t condemn it, “he says.

However, shortly thereafter, China supported the UN Security Council resolution, which grossly calls on Rwanda’s defense forces to “end M23 support and immediately withdraw from the territory of the DRC without prerequisites.”

According to Prof. Zhou, China’s statements were probably prompted by UN expert reports, which provided serious evidence of Rwanda’s support for M23S

“This is a major consensus on the UN Security Council,” he added.

“The problem lasts long enough and everyone knows in your hearts the main situation. You don’t need to be hurried anymore.”

Neither China’s mission to the UN nor its embassy in London responded when asked why China criticized Rwanda.

But the critical importance for China of the famous mineral wealth of the C Congo can be a factor.

The fight in the eastern Dr. Congo is concentrated in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, the home of many gold mines ruled by China.

How these mines were affected by the fighting is unclear for now.

The M23 also seized a territory containing a Coltan ore mini, which China imports in large volumes.

The metal tantalum used in cars and daily electronics from TVs to mobile phones is extracted from this ore, and Dr Congo is a source of 40% of world delivery.

The UN Expert Group said in December 2024 that the M23 had smuggled Coltan to Rwanda from the Congo. He also noted that Coltan’s exports of Rwanda increased by 50% between 2022 and 2023.

Although Rwanda has its own color mines, analysts say they could take such a major increase in production.

It is not yet clear whether the volume or price of Coltan imported from China are affected.

Another mineral that China imports from the Congo is COBALT, which is crucial to the lithium battery industry.

However, Chinese Cobalt extraction operations are mainly based in the southern Congo, far from the conflict zones in the east.

Dozens of Chinese companies, many of which are state-owned, also build roads, telecommunications and hydroelectric facilities in Dr. Congo. But it seems that the impact on these activities has been minimal so far.

Chinese supply of weapons for both Rwanda and D -Congo.

In the last two decades, the military in Rwanda has purchased Chinese armored vehicles, artillery and anti -tank missiles, according to the International Institute for the Research of Peace of Brain Trust (SIPRI).

China published a military attaché to the country for the first time in 2024.

While UN experts say the military in Rwanda has armed M23, it is unclear whether the rebels used any Chinese weapons.

Congoan armed forces have purchased Chinese armored carriers and drones.

They also have Chinese tanks, which were purchased in 1976, but were still in use recently in 2022.

Drones are reported to have at least been used in the fight against M23.

The Rwanda Embassy in Beijing said relations with China remain “excellent and productive” and it was not Rwanda to comment on China’s statement about the battles in the Eastern Congo.

The Chinese ambassador of D -C Congo, Jao bin, held discussions with the president of Congoan Senate Luknde herself in early February, but no details about the meeting were publicly announced.

China’s economic activities in both countries go very deeply. Both are part of the Chinese Belt initiative and the road initiative designed to sew China closer to the world through investment and infrastructure projects.

In Rwanda, China funds stadiums, schools and highways. Chinese loans also finance infrastructure projects – a dam loan and irrigation system worth approximately $ 40 million (£ 31 million) has been confirmed in January.

For years, most goods imported into Rwanda have come from China.

As for China’s economic ties with the Congo, the UN Comtrade database shows that for years China has been the best trading partner of the Congo.

China has intensified to provide access to the mineral wealth of the Congo.

It extended $ 3.2 billion ($ 2.5 billion) loans for the country between 2005 and 2022, according to Chinese loans to the Africa database, run by the University of Boston, most of all, to finance the construction of the road and a bridge and the country’s electricity network.

China has funded and established other large-scale infrastructure projects in Dr. Congo, including hydropower plants and a dry port.

These investments may assume that in the long -term interests of China to quickly find the conflict solution quickly.