Beijing employs economic and diplomatic tools to promote security in Africa while Western countries tend to rely on military means. While international pundits often anticipate Chinese military action in Africa, the country believes in non-interference in external affairs, with officials citing history’s record that military interventions generally become part of the problem, not the solution.

China surprised President Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Sept. 28 by promising to create an 8,000 strong standby peacekeeping brigade for use on the African Continent, which should reinforce its desire to be a responsible global power.

Given the reality of the Sudanese civil war, and China’s multi-billion dollar investments in Sudanese oil infrastructure, Robert I. Rotberg makes the case that it is not surprising to see China send support to South Sudan.