The Sudanese government reached a ceasefire agreement with Darfur anti-government armed forces in April 2004, and an African Union troop consisting of more than 7,000 men then garrisoned into Darfur to carry out peacekeeping tasks. Nevertheless, limited by its own capabilities and funds, the AU failed to completely resolve the stability crisis in Darfur. The AU felt it would be difficult for it to continue the peacekeeping task by the end of March when the authorization expired, so it suggested transferring the peacekeeping task to the United Nations. The United Nations thereafter denoted to be willing to take this task. The United Nations Security Council passed its No. 1706 Resolution on August 31, 2006, deciding to dispatch a 17,300-man peacekeeping troop to Darfur if agreed by the Sudanese government. But the Sudanese government set itself against this resolution. The UN Secretary General Kofi A. Annan put forward a three-stage project in November 2006, proposing to deploy a mixed AU-UN peacekeeping troop in Darfur so as to resolve the conflicts.

The confrontation in Darfur was regarded as a human rights issue by the international community, as it violated the human rights of the local non-Arabian races who believe in Christianity. The Sudanese government was also condemned by many UN resolutions. On the other hand, China's intimate relationship with Sudan, including the bilateral economic, political and military relations was regarded as levers influencing Sudan. Nonetheless, although China actively provided aid to Sudan, China stuck to a non-exclusive economic cooperation policy based on equality, mutual benefits and transparency while adhering to its principle not to interfere in other country's internal affairs. From the very beginning, China did not pay special attention to Sudan's human rights situation. China firmly believed that its aid and investment toward Sudan would make great contributions to Sudan's economic and social development. Moreover, China unswervingly believed that its economic cooperation with Sudan would create favorable conditions to resolve the Darfur issue, because the fundamental causes of the confrontation was poverty and undeveloped economy. In China's views, the population surge and overgrazing in the 1960s and 1970s caused land desertification, forcing some Arabian inhabitants to seek water sources southward and then caused scramble of resources with the local black people tribes.

China implement policies which do not interfere in Sudan's internal affairs and claimed two principles based on which the Sudanese problems can be resolved: respect the sovereignty and territorial integration of Sudan; seek to solve the issue through dialogues and equal consultation. The Chinese government also denotes to support the constructive roles of the AU and the UN.

China continued providing important financial aid to Sudan. During President Hu Jintao's visit to Sudan, China agreed to exempt Sudan from its 80 million US dollar debt and provided a 13 million interest-free loan in the infrastructure construction program. China also promised to provide 5.2 million US dollar humanitarian aid to Sudan. Furthermore, China also provided 30 million US dollar in Darfur's dam project. China's humanitarian aid included providing movable houses for at least 120 schools, transportation vehicles, power stations, water pumps and other facilities to restore production and development.

China Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun paid a visit to Darfur and three refugee camps in April 2007. During the press conference, Zhai on one hand pointed out people who wanted to boycott the Olympic Games were either out of ignorance or with ulterior motives; on the other hand, he supplemented that China suggested Sudan showing its flexibility and accepting the UN peacekeeping troop. Thereafter, the Chinese government started to intermediate the standpoints of all parties based on Annan's three-stage plan. In May 2007, the Chinese government decided to appoint Liu Jingui, China's former ambassador to Zimbabwe and South Africa, as the envoy of African affairs, whose main duty was to resolve the Darfur issue. Foreign Ministry spokesman also testified that China would dispatch 275 sappers to join the United Nations' peacekeeping actions. The Foreign Ministry spokesman refuted the denouncement against China, while pointing out that China's non-antagonizing methods had already proved effective and denoted "China and the United States shared the same goal on Darfur issue. We hope to resolve the issue in political ways, therefore we prepared to make attempts together with the international community, including the United States."

Liu Jingui's tasks were to liaison and exchange ideas with the Sudanese government and other countries on Darfur issue, discuss solutions of the issue and make the world understand China's basic standpoints and viewpoints on this issue. The Chinese government tries to intermediate, contact and exchange viewpoints among Sudan, the African Unions, the League of Arab States and the United Nations. Liu told Financial Times that "China is using its own way, through all methods and channels, to try to persuade the Sudanese government to adopt a more flexible standpoint. On some problems, for example whether to accept Annan's plan, China has even used very direct words when talking with them."