The Newsletter 60 Summer 2012

China's policy toward Africa: a Chinese perspective

Zhang QingminSong Wei

The recent situation in North Africa and the Middle East reveals a stark division in the international community over how to handle emerging problems in developing countries. The West has been pushing for aggressive military intervention in the name of humanitarian aid. Cautioning for serious consequences, China has insistently endorsed political resolutions through consultation, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law, and strongly opposes interference in the international aff airs of developing countries. The diff erences in approach refl ect two sets of norms in international relations: sovereignty vs. human rights, and non-interference vs. humanitarian intervention.

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