Doing what it takes

China has significant oil interests in Sudan. As such, China has an interest in preserving its relationship with the current government, and in preserving the government, period. News like this only underscores China's blind eye approach when its economic interests are at stake.

The United Nations has determined that China has been supplying weapons to Sudanese troops and rebels in the war-torn Darfour province.

A UN report said China has been supplying weapons and ammunition to rebels and regime-backed militias in Darfour. The report said China has violated an arms ban on Darfour, where about 200,000 people have been killed in the province.

"China has been, and continues to be, a major supplier of light weapons to the government of Sudan and many of the neighboring states," Ernst Jan Hogendoorn, a UN expert, told a conference on small arms proliferation on Monday.

The report said Sudan's neighbors have also supplied weapons to Darfour. The UN cited Chad, Eritrea and Libya.