The first summit between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the countries of Africa was held in Beijing between 3 and 5 November 2006, attended by 48 delegations, including 24 heads of state. This summit marks the return of China to the African continent after a degree of political withdrawal at the very beginning of its modernisation process that dates back to 1978. China’s aim is to develop long-term Sino-African relations as part of a global strategic partnership. This is accompanied by a spectacular economic initiative in Africa and marks the conclusion of a cycle that began with the publication of a white paper on China’s African policy (11 January 2006) and has been punctuated by a series of high-level visits.