Editing Foreign relations of China (section)

==== Culture ====
Africa is a host of three Chinese cultural centers. The first overseas Chinese center was opened in [[Mauritius]] in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.china.org.cn/culture/2009-02/17/content_17288743.htm|title=Out of Africa|access-date=14 March 2009|work=China Daily|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004153822/http://www.china.org.cn/culture/2009-02/17/content_17288743.htm|archive-date=4 October 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Two other followed in Egypt and [[Benin]]. The [[Confucius Institute]], which focuses on the promotion of the [[Chinese language]] and [[Chinese culture|culture]], has 20 centers distributed around 13 African countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.cri.cn/4406/2009/02/17/1122s454769.htm|title=Confucius Institute Bridges Friendship between China and Africa|access-date=14 March 2009|work=cri.com.cn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016190603/http://english.cri.cn/4406/2009/02/17/1122s454769.htm|archive-date=16 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Historically, little is known about early African immigration to China, although there is no doubt and much consensus that the human species was originally from Africa. Due to recent developments in relations,{{Ambiguous|date=July 2011}}<!-- There needs to be an explanation of the immigration laws here, I think --> many{{Quantify|date=March 2009}} have been relocating for better opportunities. Places dubbed 'Little Africa' and 'Chocolate city' are increasingly receiving new immigrants, mostly Nigerians. Most of the African immigrants are concentrated in the area of [[Guangzhou]] with an estimated number of 20,000.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/02/09/the-promised-land-2|first=Evan|last=Osnos|author-link=Evan Osnos|title=The Promised Land|date=9 February 2009|access-date=16 November 2014|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006120726/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/02/09/the-promised-land-2|archive-date=6 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> It is estimated that there are around 10,000 illegal African immigrants in China and police crackdowns have intensified since early 2009.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tom Mackenzie, Mitch Moxley|title=China's 'Little Africa' is under pressure|url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/china-and-its-neighbors/090219/chinas-little-africa-under-pressure|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228140945/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/china-and-its-neighbors/090219/chinas-little-africa-under-pressure|archive-date=28 February 2009|access-date=14 March 2009|work=[[GlobalPost]]}}</ref>

In contrast, early modern Chinese immigration to the African continent is slightly better documented. In 1724, a few Chinese convicts were brought as laborers to South Africa from the [[Dutch East Indies]] (modern-day Indonesia) by the [[Dutch Empire]]. In the early 19th century, another wave of immigrants came to South Africa as workers brought by the [[British people|British]] to work in agriculture, infrastructure building and mining.<ref name="migration">{{cite web|date=6 August 2008|title=China and Africa: Stronger Economic Ties Mean More Migration|url=http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=690|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129114909/http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=690|archive-date=29 January 2014|access-date=14 March 2009|website=[[Migration Policy Institute]]}}</ref> In recent years, there has been an increasing presence of [[Chinatowns in Africa|Chinese in Africa]]. Estimates vary by source though [[Xinhua]], China's official news agency, states that there are no less than 750,000 Chinese nationals working or living in Africa.<ref name="migration" /> The number of Chinese illegal immigrants remains unknown.

Due to the low prices of Chinese-made weaponry and military equipment, an increasing number of African countries shifted their source of supply from traditional providers such as Russia to China.<ref>{{cite web|title=Russian, Chinese weapons compete in Africa|url=http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2008/12/19/russian_chinese_weapons_compete_in_africa/5472/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513035926/http://www.upiasia.com/Security/2008/12/19/russian_chinese_weapons_compete_in_africa/5472/|archive-date=13 May 2013|access-date=14 March 2009|agency=[[United Press International]]}}</ref> However, the selling of arms to some states accused by Western countries of war crimes, such as [[Sudan]], have prompted criticism in the West.<ref>{{cite news|date=13 July 2008|title=China 'is fuelling war in Darfur'|publisher=[[BBC News]]|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7503428.stm|url-status=live|access-date=14 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011237/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7503428.stm|archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref>