ABSTRACT
Sino-African relations have a long history. About 600 years ago, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) seafarers reportedly reached Africa’s eastern shores and brought back a giraffe to satisfy the Chinese emperor’s curiosity. Today Chinese vessels sail back and forth, bringing home much-needed oil, iron ore, timber, copper, cobalt, manganese, platinum, uranium, gold, silver, food products, and other commodities to satisfy the voracious appetite of a giant and still growing economy.
