BEIJING (AFP) – Sudan's leader Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, arrived in Beijing Tuesday, a day late for a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
Bashir's state visit has outraged rights groups who have criticised Beijing for hosting a man wanted for alleged crimes against humanity during Sudan's civil war.
No reason was given for Bashir's late arrival, but as the first sitting head of state to be targeted by an ICC warrant, some countries are unwilling to host him on their territory.
Chinese state media confirmed Bashir's arrival and said he and Hu would hold talks on "how to consolidate China-Sudan relations and expand cooperation."
The two will also exchange views on Sudan's ongoing north-south peace process and the Darfur issue, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei added.
Bashir had been due to stay in China -- a key supporter of the regime in Khartoum -- until Thursday, although it was unclear whether the delay would now prolong his visit.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Bashir for alleged genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan's western Darfur region, where about 300,000 people have died since 2003.
ICC statutes dictate that any member country should arrest Bashir if he visits. China is not a party to those statutes.
Bashir cancelled plans to attend a summit earlier this month in Malaysia, which declared this year that it intends to recognise the ICC's jurisdiction to show its commitment to fight crimes against humanity.
China is a major military supplier to the regime in Khartoum and the biggest buyer of the country's oil, although the majority of Sudan's oil fields are located in the south, which will become independent next month.
Beijing last week defended the visit.
"In recent years President Bashir has made many visits to other countries and was warmly welcomed," Hong told reporters.
"It's quite reasonable for China to invite the head of a state that has diplomatic ties with China to come for a visit."
A US State Department spokeswoman on Monday said it opposed China's invitation to Bashir and urged Beijing to press Sudan "to cooperate fully with the ICC."
New York-based Human Rights Watch said Bashir's trip was "an affront to victims of heinous crimes committed in Darfur" and urged Beijing to withdraw its invitation or arrest Bashir when he arrived.
Amnesty International said earlier this month that China risked becoming a "safe haven for alleged perpetrators of genocide" if it hosted Bashir.
Bashir was also slated to hold talks with other top Chinese officials.
Topics were expected to include Chinese aid to Sudan and problems in Abyei, a disputed border area claimed both by Bashir's Khartoum-based northern Sudan regime and the rival government in the south.
North and south Sudan fought a two-decade civil war in which two million people died. A 2005 peace accord, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, ended the conflict and allowed for a referendum in January in which the south voted massively to split from the north.
Abyei did not take part in the referendum because the two sides could not agree who should be eligible to vote.
Major worries remain ahead of southern Sudan's declaration of independence on July 9 because of a new conflict in South Kordofan, a region on the northern side of the border where northern troops and their allies are fighting forces loyal to south.
The UN Security Council on Monday ordered a 4,200-strong Ethiopian peacekeeping force to Abyei in a bid to douse tensions.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton welcomed the moved but expressed deep concern at reports of serious human rights abuses and ethnic violence in South Kordofan.
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