China - Invite of Bashir to WWII parade justified

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir embarked on a four-day trip to China on Monday. During his stay, he will also attend commemorative events for the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. As Bashir was indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity relating to the conflict in Darfur in 2009, his visit to China has raised eyebrows in the West.

The US expressed concerns on Monday, with State Department spokesman Mark Toner saying, "We oppose invitations, facilitation or support for travel by persons subject to outstanding ICC warrants." He also warned that China should take into account worries of the international community as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. 

Both China and the US are not signatories to the ICC Rome Statute. This means China has no obligations to cooperate with the ICC's indictment.

The causes of the Darfur conflicts were complicated. The decisions made by the ICC were very controversial in Africa. 

Bashir has visited a number of Middle East countries these years and also attended the African Union Summit held in South Africa. He visited China in 2011. As the North African region was a battlefield during WWII, there are no grounds to criticize China's invitation of Bashir for commemorative events for WWII.

The ICC's decisions over some former or current non-Western leaders in recent years are apparently based on a Western mind-set. The US, while supporting ICC principles, has not signed the ICC Rome Statute. 

Washington fears thorny issues once the ICC decisions involve the Americans or its allies. The US supports the ICC to charge its enemies, but avoids its interests being hurt by not signing the Rome Statute.

Sudan is a friendly country to China. China should invite Bashir to come and treat him with hospitality. This is the responsibility of a big power in the current international political context. 

If China dare not make independent judgments and avoids developing ties with a certain country simply because the West doesn't like it and its leaders, China can never establish its own prestige and will fall into being a political vassal of the West.

Controversies around Bashir have been brewing for years and the West has almost got tired of them. There is little room for the West to make a fuss about China's invitation. China can just shrug it off.

It is the Africans that will decide African matters. External factors can generate less impact. Bashir, although indicted by the ICC, has still ruled for years. Washington should respect realities and spend some efforts on exploring a new world instead of insisting it is the center of the world.