China pledges ties with Sudan

China offers way round boycott Khartoum - Abedalgoum Ashmeag Sudan’s Finance Minister Abdulrahman Dhirar has hailed his now completed delegation to China as “successful.” The visit comes amid growing economic ties and cooperation between Sudan and China. Bilateral meetings in Beijing discussed export and import issues, the minister said in a statement. “The visit also focused on developing economic and trade cooperation with China,” he added. New contracts are expected to be signed, with a new emphasis on development in Sudan’s fledgling agricultural sector. China has played a vital role in extracting Sudanese oil, pumping $6bn of investments into the African country each year. Khartoum hopes to use Chinese, and broader Asian, investments to circumvent a Western economic boycott imposed on Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s administration since 1989.