ABSTRACT
China's Africa policy serves Beijing's diplomatic strategy and trends as a whole. Its development reflects China's evolving foreign policy. From the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) into the introduction of Reform and Opening-Up in 1978, and further to the establishment of Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000, China's African policy is a miniature version of Chinese national political agenda as a whole. The 'Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence', the foundation of China's relationship with other countries, was introduced by Premier Zhou Enlai during his negotiations with Indian delegations, in discussions on the Tibet issue. In the 1990s, China experienced a transformation of its Africa engagement. Africa is an important energy supplier for China. The expansion of Chinese oil companies into Africa's market has drawn attention from the international community, which is concerned not only because China is a competitor for Western oil companies, but also because of its impact on the African countries and their people.
