ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on China's position on and contribution to international efforts to protect civilians in armed conflicts in Africa. It discusses the China's position on the civilian protection in thematic debates on the topic, the major part of this study is concerned with the protection of civilians as part of the everyday deliberations in the UNSC and UN peace keeping operations. The chapter analyses China's stance on two ongoing cases of international efforts to provide protection to civilians against the backdrop of conflict in Africa, namely Eastern Congo and Sudan's Darfur region. It reveals case study on Darfur that the AU's desire to see greater UN involvement in Darfur had an important impact on China's position on the desirability of a UN peace keeping force for Darfur. Fundamental concerns about newly developing norms that redefine the relationship between human rights protection and legitimate statehood continues to instill great caution in China's political elites.
