No logic in blaming China for Darfur

China and the Arab nations have a long tradition of interaction. Even before Zheng He's voyages over 600 years ago, China had both direct and indirect contacts with Arabic nations through economic and cultural links. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, China-Arab relations have continued to advance. The China-Arab Cooperation Forum provides a favorable platform for wide-ranging links between China and the Arab nations.

As we are aware, there are people in the world, especially in Western countries, determined to associate events in Darfur with China, and even with the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. This perplexes many Chinese, not least my own colleagues, with the result that I am often asked what exactly the issues in Darfur are. Where is Darfur? Why do events in Darfur have anything to do with the Olympics?

I always try to provide a coherent response to these queries.