Over the last decade China and African continent gradually build strong diplomatic and economic ties. Almost every African country today bears examples of China's emerging presence, from oil fields in the east, to farms in the south, and mines in the center.

China's unbridled economic expansion and appetite for raw materials are the major factors driving its expansion across the African continent. China currently has a $32 billion trade relationship with Africa much higher than any other energy hungry nations.  

China has emerged as one of the biggest economies in the world with its own brand of capitalist authoritarianism that has transformed the relationship with Africa from a largely political one into a mostly commercial one. Chinese construction workers can now be seen all over Africa, from Angola, Gabon, Mauritania and Nigeria in the west, through Sudan to Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique and Tanzania in the east. They are working in all sectors, from public construction works to agriculture, oil and telecommunications.  

China's rapid emergence as a world power and its growing need to meet energy demands made Africa one of its key priorities. After years of economic struggle, China now has both the need for economic resources and the economic bank to expand cooperation with Africa, especially among oil-producing countries. The second biggest consumer of oil after the United States, China is searching the world for new sources of energy, and Africa is fast becoming an important supplier. To date, China has oil partnerships in Sudan, Chad, Nigeria, Angola and Gabon, and is exploring a potential collaboration in Kenya. Countries like Sudan and Zimbabwe with poor human rights records, a sluggish record on democratization, and a propensity for corruption are collaborating with China as they do not have to worry about sanctions or even unpleasant lectures when they interact unlike the US or European countries. Ethiopia has reaped the benefits of a preferential trade policy with the Chinese government. It saw a rise in trade volume from $150 million to $250 million during the first nine months after China started its operation there.

Currently, there are over 750 Chinese enterprises in Africa primarily based in energy and natural resource sectors with a total investment of $1 billion. According to Chinese official sources, Chinese companies have invested a total of $175 million in African countries only in oil exploration and infrastructure. China is also making an effort to win the hearts and minds of the African people, and to extend its political influence. Its engineers are busy developing much-needed African infrastructure: roads and rail lines in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Rwanda; a new hospital in Sudan; a farm and a bridge across the Nile; reclaiming thousands of hectares of farmland in Tanzania. Since the 1960s, China was consistent in offering assistance to African countries in agriculture, heavy industries, and infrastructure development. African leaders in return regard China as a reliable friend who has suffered the similar imperialist aggression by Western powers, welcome investment and development teams from Beijing. Furthermore, the Chinese have not used their economic power to place political pressure on Africa like the western countries.

China's main ambition is now to ensure that Africa remains a secure source for oil and raw materials, a growing market for Chinese exports, and a base of support for China's expanding global interests.