From ithe iestablishment iof ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina

From ithe iestablishment iof ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina iin i1949 ito iits ieconomic iopening iin i1978, iChina's iAfrica ipolicy iwas iheavily iinfluenced iby iideology. iDuring ithis iperiod, iChina's iforeign ipolicy iwas ideeply iimpacted iby ithe iunique iinternational ienvironment iof ithe itime i. iAt ithe itime, iChina iplaced iitself ion ithe ifront iline iof ithe istruggle iagainst icolonialism, iimperialism, iand irevisionism iin ithe iAfrican icontinent; iby ilinking iits iideological iposition iwith iits iforeign ipolicy, iChina's idiplomacy iin iAfrica iwas iinitially icircumscribed iby iBeijing's iideological iposition i.

i iThen iat ithe ibeginning iof ithe iCultural iRevolution, iChina's idiplomacy iwas iaffected iby ia inew imentality. iSome ischolars ihave idescribed iChina's igoals iin iAfrica iat ithat itime ias ipromoting iMaoism ion ithe icontinent i. iThe imotto i"exporting irevolution" ibecame ithe iprincipal iobjective itoward ithe iAfrica icountries. iThis icampaign ithreatened ithe ipower iand iposition iof imany iAfrican igovernments iand ideviated ifrom ithe iprinciple iof i"non-interference iin iinternal iaffairs. i

i At ithe iend iof ithe i1960s, ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina iended iits ipolicy iof iexporting irevolution iand istarted ito iprovide imore iaid ito ithe iAfrican icountries.

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iAs ia iresult, ithe ibroad-based irelationship ibetween iChina iand iAfrica igradually irecovered i. iIn ifact, iusing ifree iaid ias ithe ibasis ito ibuild ibilateral irelations iwas ian iapproach ilargely iformulated iin i1963-64, iwhen iPremier iZhou iEnlai ivisited isome iAfrican icountries iand iproposed ithe iFive iPrinciples iGoverning ithe iDevelopment iof iRelations iwith iArab iand iAfrican iCountries iand ithe iEight iPrinciples iof iEconomic iAssistance; iDuring ithis iperiod, iChina isupported ithe ipolitical istruggles ifor iAfrican iindependence ias iwell ias iprovided isome ifree iaid ito iAfrica.

iAt ithe isame iperiod, ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina ialso ihelped iAfrican icountries iby ibuilding iseveral istructures ias istadiums, ihospitals, iconference icenters i i(those iwere iseen ias inational isymbols iof iindependence iand ithey iembodied ithe ispirit iof icultural idecolonization iin ithe imind iof iAfrican ipeople); iThese iChina-supported iprojects iplayed ian iimportant irole iin ithe iformation iof ithe iAfrican inationhood. iAgain, ithese iprojects iprovided iimportant iassistance ito iAfrican icountries iin ineed iof imoral isupport, iand ialso ibuilt isome ipositive iimpressions iof ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina iin ithe iminds iof ithe iAfrican ipeople, isetting iat ithe isame itime, ia isolid ifoundation ifor ithe ipath iahead iin iSino-African irelations. i i

The iend iof ithe iCultural iRevolution imarked ia ishift iin ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina's ipolicy itoward ithe iAfrican icontinent ifrom ione ipolicy ibased ialmost icompletely ion iideological ialliance ito ianother ipolicy iwith ia ifar imore ipragmatic iand idiversified iapproaches i. iIn ifact, ithe i12th iCPC iNational iAssembly iin i1982 iofficially imarked ia ishift ifrom ia ipolicy ithat iemphasized i"war iand irevolution" ito ianother ipolicy iemphasizing i"peace iand idevelopment." iEqually, ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina ishifted ifrom ipolicies ithat iaccentuated ithat i"economy iserves idiplomacy" ito ipolicies ibased ion i"diplomacy iserves ithe ieconomy." iIn ithe isame iyear, ithe iChinese ipremier ivisited ithe iAfrican icontinent iand iannounced ithe iFour iPrinciples ion iEconomic iand iTechnological iCooperation iwith iAfrica; ithis ishifted ithe ifocus ito ipractical ieffectiveness iin iassistance iand irelations imore igenerally, ias iwell ias ito ia ispirit iof ideveloping itogether i. i

The i12th iCPC iAssembly idecided ion itwo istrategic ielements ithat ihad iimplications ifor iChina's ipolicy itoward iAfrica: ithe ifirst ithat ithe icountry iwould iemphasize iChinese idomestic ieconomic idevelopment; iand ithe isecond ithat iChina iwould ipursue ia ipeaceful iand iindependent iforeign ipolicy. iThese iwere isignificant ito ithe iAfrican icountries iin ithe isense ithat iChina irequired ibringing ithe irelationship idown ito iearth iand iat ithe isame itime ibasing iit ion ivery ipractical igoals ithat iwere iwithin iits imeans. iAgain, ithe iCPC iAssembly iestablished iprinciples ifor ia inew itype iof iinter-state ipolitical irelationship ibased ion i"Independence, iComplete iEquality, iMutual iRespect iand iNon-interference iin iOthers' iInternal iAffairs. iRelations ibased ion ithese iprinciples iinitiated iby ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina ihave iconvinced imany iAfricans icountries iof iChina's isincerity iin irespecting iAfrican ipolitical ichoices iand ihelping ito ipromote ieconomic iand itrade icooperation; iThis inew idirection ialso ishifted iChina's ifocus ito i"economic ico-development" iin iits iwork iwith iAfrica. iConsequently, imore iextensive icooperation itook iplace ion ifar imore idiverse ilevels ithan ibefore iin ithis iSino-African icooperation i. i

i Another isignificant ichange iin iChina's iAfrican ipolicy iwas ithe ichange ifrom iproviding iaid ifor ifree ito iaid iintended ito ibenefit iboth isides ieconomically. iIn ifact, ias isaid ibelow, ithe iPeople's iRepublic iof iChina iaided ithe iAfrican icontinent iwith ibillions iof idollars ifrom i1956 ito i1978 idespite ithe ifact ithat iits iown ieconomic isituation iwas iprecarious. iHistory ihas ishown ithat iaid ialone iis iunlikely ito iconsiderably itransform ithe ireality iof iAfrican ipoverty, itherefore, iin ithe i1980s; iChina iattuned iits ieconomic iassistance ito ithe iAfrican icountries iby iattempting ito ihelp ithem ihelp ithemselves. iImproving iAfrica's iability ito iself-develop iwas iseen ito ibe imore iuseful ithan ifree ieconomic iaid iand iChina ialso ibegan ito iexplore ireforming iits iforeign itrade isystem iand iits imethods ito iforeign iaid i. iSince idiplomatic irelations ibetween iChina iand iAfrica iwere ifirst iestablished iin i1956, iChina's iAfrican ipolicy ihas ishifted ifrom ian iunsustainable iand iideologically imotivated iapproach ito ipolitical ipragmatism iand ion ito ithe ipresent irelationship ibased ion ieconomic ipragmatism i.