PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH, as the Americans have done since Colin Powell first did so, has again characterised the situation in Darfur for what it is: genocide. And Mr. Bush is right to step up United States sanctions against Sudan.

Now, it is time for others to stop the dithering and to join Washington in turning the screws on Khartoum. That means, more specifically, the Chinese.

For four years the government of President Omar al-Bashir has sponsored mainly Arab militias in their murderous fight against the mostly black population of Darfur as part of Khartoum's effort to quell what started as a relatively small and ineffective rebellion. In the process, more than 200,000 have been killed and 2.5 million have been displaced, forced to flee their homes.

Not only has Sudan shown no commitment to end the genocide, it has also consistently frustrated attempts to deploy a 22,000-member United Nations and African Union peacekeeping force to bolster the handful of AU peacekeepers already in Darfur. This force is necessary to guarantee the safety of the people of Darfur.

Not only has President Bashir and his government been deliberately obstructionist, they have failed to keep their word about protecting their citizens. So, having asked for time to allow for diplomacy to work, it turned a blind eye to the new attacks by the Janjaweed militias.

Khartoum has, in part, been able to behave with such impunity because of the Chinese. Beijing has lucrative oil and trade deals with Khartoum, which it does not want to disrupt. It also has a veto on the U.N. Security Council. China, therefore, is in a position to block U.N. sanctions against Sudan beyond the limited arms and financial embargoes that are already in place.

In fact, as China's new point man on Africa, Liu Guijin, made clear on Tuesday, Beijing's view is that the kind of relationship it has with Khartoum provides the best opportunity to end the violence in Darfur. That is, trade and investment will fuel growth and development and change mindsets.

Our view, though, is that Beijing's attitude is one of cynical self-interest and that Mr. Bush is right in escalating sanctions. In this case, he has forbidden 31 Sudanese companies, as well as three individuals, from accessing America's financial apparatus, and is working with U.S. allies to achieve a more comprehensive programme at the United Nations.

Hopefully, Khartoum will mend its ways and obviate the need for further sanctions. China can help in this by telling President Bashir that his government's actions can no longer be tolerated. China, in that regard, must act to enhance its growing stature as a world power. Jamaica, as a friend of China, should help to convince Beijing to act accordingly.

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