ABSTRACT
Gaining independence in 2011 after decades of conflicts between the North and the South, soon after South Sudan stepped into internal conflicts that finally escalated into civil war at the end of 2013. The international community has made important efforts to alleviate the situation, with different approaches being taken. China is a traditional friend of Sudan and thus played an important role in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005 that contributed to the independence of the South. It is also involved in current South Sudan civil war mediation, adheres to the principle of non-interference, and gradually develops its own approach to African peace and security affairs – conceptualized as ‘developmental peace’ by certain Chinese scholars. With its experience of reform and opening up, this chapter argues that China’s developmental peace approach emphasizes addressing the root causes of conflict and takes development as the starting point for building a virtuous circle connecting development, security, and governance. While strong in facilitating development, China’s approach should also be complemented by the liberal peace one that specializes in security and governance—so as to better promote sustained peace within the country in question.
