Relationships between China and Africa were formally established in the 1950s buttrade and cooperation dates back over 100 years.Recently, as Chinas economy hascontinued to grow and transform the country into a major global player in all spheres,ithas become clear that China increasingly needs to secure reliable sources of resources tosupport its economic development.Investors have long seen Africa as risky, unsafe andbackward.But it has also been attractive to the adventurous and can provide verylucrative returns and profits.Although energy,oil, and other raw materials represent themost attractive business opportunities, manufacturing, infrastructure development,supplies and services are also very important.　　Notwithstanding the complexity of doing business in Africa, the impact that Chinasmodernization and driving need for resources can have on Africa can take the form oftrade, FDI, etc.Over the past decades, China has become an influential player in Africaseconomy and development.This trend has brought opportunities and challenges.With ahistory of external exploitation, not quite successful economic experimentation and morerecent rapid market-based development, China is in a unique position to understand thechallenges and complexities facing Africa.In doing business in Africa and establishing adevelopment framework, one is confronted with many options.These include opting for acountry-specific or a regional approach.While the opportunities abound, the challengesare enormous.　　In recognition of these challenges, African leaders formed the New Partnership forAfricas Development(NEPAD) as the basis for a renaissance.Intended to rework therelationship between Africa and the developed world based on a partnership with acommon vision, the NEPAD framework fits into Chinas renewed diplomatic drive intoAfrica that emphasizes mutually beneficial cooperation, friendship, peaceful coexistence,etc.In addition, there is the pledge of coordinated sustainable development in the globaleconomy and both the opening up of markets and help through debt relief to enhanceAfricas capacity.It is this new partnership that forms the basis for particularly trade,investment and strategic engagement.　　This type of engagement between China and Africa can provide valuable lessons forAfricas development.The paper investigates the historical context of the China-Africarelationship; the framework for engagement-especially the Forum on China-AfricaCooperation(FOCAC);the need for a strategic agenda and the role of NEPAD.Understanding of these issues can help promote business relationships that will enhance thelong-term sustainable development of China and Africa as a whole.