With African mining interests at stake, China wades into DR Congo-Rwanda conflict
As M23 rebels cause havoc in the DR Congo, China has taken the unusual step to speak out. But experts say it isn’t a total policy departure
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China rarely criticises or takes sides in African conflicts, but recent insurgency in the Democratic Republic of Congo appears to have prompted a measured shift in approach.
Beijing – through its UN ambassador, Fu Cong – has directly asked Rwanda on at least two occasions so far this year to end its backing of the M23 rebel group and pull Rwandan troops out of the DR Congo.
“China reiterates its hope that Rwanda will heed the call of the international community, stop its military support for M23, and immediately withdraw all its military forces from the [DR Congo] territory,” Fu said in February.
China also voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution that unanimously condemned Rwanda’s role in the conflict. This is a departure from the norm: China mostly abstains in resolutions that involve conflicts between its key allies.
But while it is a deviation from its usual non-interference policy, it is not a large one, according to observers, as Beijing works to protect its mining interests and relationships with both countries.
Beginning in 2022, the crisis in the eastern Congo is rooted in ethnic tensions and a struggle over the control of mineral resources. So far, thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced. M23 rebels have also seized vital towns, including Bukavu and Goma, both near the Rwandan border and home to many Chinese-run gold mines.