A Study On China's Aid To Africa

China's aid to Africa, beginning in 1956, has a history of more than 50 years. This history shows that, the aid to Africa, which is based on sincere relationship, equality and mutual benefit, is the motive power and the strong bond of the Sino-African relationship.The history of China's aid to Africa can be divided into three periods with the division year of 1978 and 1995. Each of the periods has its own distinct characteristics. From 1956 to 1978, China's African policy was mainly based on political and diplomatic considerations, carrying strong political and ideological overtones. Since the implementation of the reform and opening up policy in 1978, China's African policy considered economic reasons more than political ones. Cooperation for mutual benefits and common development became the core of the policy. Since 1990s, China is rethinking its Sino-African policy in the context of the rising status of the African resources strategic position and the international influence of Africa as a whole. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is pushing forward the Sino-African relationship into a new stage. And the "China's African Policy" (white paper) in 2006 has illustrated that the aim of the Sino-African relationship and is to establish a new strategic partnership.This dissertation attempts to analyze the development of the China's African policy, explore the reason, the conditions and the effectiveness of the changes and transformations involving in it, and contribute to a more proper aid policy that meets the needs of the African development. This has a special and important significance on deepening the Sino-African relationship in the new century and establishing China's image of "responsible big country" in the international community.