China seeks port and energy agreements with Sudan
China is seeking to secure a role in Sudan’s post-war reconstruction by advancing agreements on port and energy infrastructure with the army-backed government. The talks are taking place during the war, when the presence of many Western states in the country is limited, the South China Morning Post reports.
Ports and energy
In July, Sudan signed an agreement with China Harbour Engineering Company to modernize existing ports and build new ones. Siyuan Energy agreed to assess damaged power plants and supply transformers and mobile substations. Hunan Construction is considering the implementation of hybrid energy projects.
Tim Zajontz, a temporary professor of international relations at the University of Freiburg, believes Sudan could become the next test of China’s “peace through development” approach. In his assessment, the weak negotiating position of the government of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Sudanese Armed Forces could enable Chinese companies to obtain more favorable investment terms than under a peaceful civilian government.
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War and diplomatic presence
The war in Sudan has continued since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces commanded by al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. The army largely controls Khartoum, while the Rapid Support Forces hold a significant part of Darfur.
China has not been a formal mediator between the parties to the conflict, instead linking investment and reconstruction to stability. After the fighting began, a number of embassies, including that of the United States, suspended operations, but China maintained a diplomatic presence in Port Sudan.
China and Africa specialist David Shinn noted that the port agreement is preliminary in nature, so practical work may not begin soon. At the end of 2025, the China National Petroleum Corporation, CNPC, sought to terminate agreements on production at Block 6 and pipelines after fighting, looting and damage to facilities halted production.
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