Editing Foreign relations of China (section)

====Economic relations====
{{Main|Africa–China economic relations}}

[[File:Belt and Road Initiative participant map.svg|thumb|Countries which signed cooperation documents related to the [[Belt and Road Initiative]]]]
In 1980, the total Sino-African trade volume was US$1 billion. By 1999, it had reached US$6.5 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinaembassy.org.zw/eng/zt/zflt/t150398.htm|title=chinaembassy.org.zw ''Sino-African Relations''|access-date=20 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616025604/http://www.chinaembassy.org.zw/eng/zt/zflt/t150398.htm|archive-date=16 June 2013}}</ref> By 2005, the total Sino-African trade had reached US$39.7 billion before it jumped to US$55 billion in 2006, making China the second largest trading partner of Africa after the U.S., which had trade worth US$91 billion with African nations. China also passed the traditional African economic partner and [[French colonial empire#Africa|former colonial power]] France, which had trade worth US$47 billion.<ref name="csmonitor">{{cite web|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/centennial/timeline/2008/07/china-boosts-african-economies-offering-a-second-opportunity/|title=China boosts African economies, offering a 'second opportunity'|access-date=14 March 2009|work=The Christian Science Monitor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624051028/http://www.csmonitor.com/centennial/timeline/2008/07/china-boosts-african-economies-offering-a-second-opportunity/|archive-date=24 June 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2010, trade between Africa and China was worth US$114 billion and in 2011, US$166.3 billion.<ref name="allafrica">{{cite web|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201212090143.html|title=Mozambique-China Trade Continues to Grow|date=9 December 2012|access-date=9 December 2012|work=allafrica.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118150104/http://allafrica.com/stories/201212090143.html|archive-date=18 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In the first 10 months of 2012 it was US$163.9 billion.<ref name="allafrica" />

There are an estimated 800 Chinese corporations doing business in Africa, most of which are private companies investing in the infrastructure, energy and banking sectors.<ref name="FT">{{cite web|title=Africa, China Trade|url=http://media.ft.com/cms/e13530f4-c9df-11dc-b5dc-000077b07658.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090311160010/http://media.ft.com/cms/e13530f4-c9df-11dc-b5dc-000077b07658.pdf|archive-date=11 March 2009|access-date=14 March 2009|work=[[Financial Times]]}}</ref> Unconditional and low-rate credit lines (rates at 1.5% over 15 years to 20 years)<ref name="MondeDiplo">{{cite web|date=May 2005|title=China's trade safari in Africa|url=http://mondediplo.com/2005/05/11chinafrica|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126203347/http://mondediplo.com/2005/05/11chinafrica|archive-date=26 January 2013|access-date=14 March 2009|work=[[Le Monde diplomatique]]}}</ref> have taken the place of the more restricted and conditional Western loans.<ref name="FT" /> Since 2000, more than US$10 billion in debt owed by African nations to China has been canceled.<ref name="MondeDiplo" />