Our Perspective (Bro. Hank & T'Boogz)  

China is in a unique position to help end violence in Darfur and must set aside its own economic interests and pressure Khartoum to hasten the deployment of an African Union-U.N. peacekeeping force, an advocacy group coalition said Thursday.

In releasing a new report titled "Having it Both Ways" that analyzes the economic relationship between China and Sudan, the Save Darfur Coalition called for stronger action from Beijing to avoid a potential delay in deploying the 26,000-strong "hybrid" force agreed upon by the U.N. Security Council in July.

"Now is the time for China to intervene again to ensure the agreement is met by Khartoum," Larry Rossin of the Washington D.C.-based coalition told The Associated Press.

Rossin spoke earlier in a conference call about the Save Darfur report that implores China to suspend its arm sales and military cooperation with Sudan and contribute still-needed helicopters and heavy transport vehicles to the AU-U.N. operation. U.N. officials have said they do not have all the necessary equipment for the peacekeepers.

Actress Mia Farrow, who traveled through burned villages in Sudan's border areas earlier this year and met terrified refugees also urged China to take action.

"China's responsibility to play a constructive role in ending this genocide extends beyond their relationship as Sudan's primary economic partner and diplomatic protector," she said, speaking during the conference call.

Energy-hungry China buys two-thirds of Sudan's oil output and sells weapons to the Khartoum regime.

The report said that China is now "trying to have it both ways" as both a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council that authorized the peacekeeping force while "tightening its economic relationship with Sudan."

"Given its unmatched supportive relationship with Khartoum, the current responsibility and potential role of China in ending the tragedy in Darfur is unique, undeniable and absolutely indispensable," it said.

The four-year-old Darfur conflict between rebels and government-backed militias has killed 200,000 people and left 2.5 million homeless.

China's special envoy for the region, Liu Guijin, said in a trip to the U.S. last month that China would continue to promote dialogue and negotiation - instead of pressure - as the best solution and that perhaps China's role was being "overrated."

Rossin, who met with Liu, said he disagreed "because the Chinese themselves have underscored their critical role" in negotiating a solution to the region.

The Darfur advocates said they will continue to plan events that draw focus to the issue until the situation improves.

Farrow, a U.N. goodwill ambassador, has labeled the Beijing Games the "genocide Olympics," and has launched her own torch relay through countries with histories of mass atrocities.