ABSTRACT
An analysis of Soviet and Chinese economic grants and credits extended to African states during the period 1954-1975 reveals that the Soviet Union provided $1,435,000,000 and China $2,111,000,000. The Chinese leadership in this regard is even more astonishing if one takes into account the fact that China extended little assistance during the fifties and sixties. Most of the Chinese aid to Tanzania and Zambia was for construction of the Tan-Zam Railroad and it represented the greatest amount of assistance ever provided for a sub-Saharan African project by a communist-ruled state. Chinese actions were completely in accordance with Organization of African Unity policy and were responsive to Soviet efforts to turn Angola into a colony. The Soviet Union's actions in Angola were responsive to those of China and there is some validity to the arguments of Soviet foreign affairs specialist Marshall Shulman and Colin Legum that Soviet behavior was conditioned more by Chinese deeds than American.
