¡@With the change of economic globalization, the national security is no longer just the traditional nation defense or military security. Economic, political, diplomatic, technological, cultural, environmental and other fields related to national development are gradually considered into the scope of national security. Among, Economic security is the core of national security now. The protection of economic security concern about nation development, such as nation defense, diplomacy, and the standard of people¡¦s living. Not only every department in nation is interdependent with each other, but also any economy can't live alone. Economic development has closely relationship with the use of energy. No matter developed countries or developing countries, their reliance various energy are increasing (especially oil); however, because of the limited resource endowment, the energy competition is one of leading to the tense international relations. ¡@The distribution of oil is uneven. Middle East has more than half of the crude oil reserve, and the top ten largest oil reserve countries hold the 80% of the world¡¦s total reserve. But, the most two oil consumption region, North America and Asia Pacific, only own 8.7% oil reserve. United States and China are the largest oil consumption countries, while United States oil dependency is above 60%, and almost 60% of China¡¦s oil demand need to import from other countries. In order to sustain economic development (need enough oil energy), the imbalance of demand and supply let China and other oil-consuming countries have to negotiate with the oil-producing region - Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa. Africa is one of China¡¦s oil import region. China strengthen Sino-Africa relation through leader conference, high-level visits, Forum on China - Africa Cooperation, China¡¦s oil company¡¦s energy investment in Africa, economic aid, infrastructure and other diplomatic measures. The comprehensive cooperation contributes China to get Africa's oil resources.

Si la coopération sino-africaine dans le sillage des indépendances nationales des années soixante a trouvé son ferment dans l’idéologie révolutionnaire et l’esprit de Bandung, il n’en est point question de la nouvelle phase qui s’ouvre à l’aube du XXIème siècle. En effet, les mutations internationales intervenues dans la charnière des deux siècles, le renouvellement des acteurs des deux côtés et les réalités endogènes propres à chaque partie, ont accéléré l’entrée dans une nouvelle ère où l’économie devient la pierre angulaire de la coopération. La naissance du FOCAC traduit la volonté de mieux coordonner les relations entre la Chine et l’Afrique, en même temps qu’elle donne la mesure de l’intensité et du volume de leurs échanges. Quelle est donc cette institution qui regroupe autant d’Etats ? Quels sont ses fondements théoriques? Et quelle réponse apporte-elle aux nombreux contempteurs de la présence chinoise en Afrique ? Telles sont les principales articulations de ce travail. / Whereas the China-Africa cooperation under the tough era of decolonization in 1960’s was strongly fostered by shared revolutionary ideology and Bandung spirit, that is not the case in the new phase in the early 21st century. Indeed, the deep changes occurred between the two centuries, the renewal of leaders within both sides and internal challenges faced by them, speeded up the entrance into a new era where economy becomes the cornerstone of their cooperation. The birth of FOCAC reveals the willingness to handle effectively the relationship between China and Africa, as well as it shows the intensity and the seize of their trade. What is that institution gathering together so many countries? What are its theoretical foundations? And what kind of response it provides to those who belittle China offensive in Africa? These are shortly, the main outlines of this work.

Diploma thesis "Involvement of the People's Republic of China in Africa' deals with the evolution of China-Africa cooperation in the three specified time periods. Mainly it deals with the time period of the last nearly sixty years. This time period was subsequently divided into the period of the Cold War, 1990s and the last period is representing the year 2000 up to the present. Even though the diploma thesis deals with the African continent as a whole unit, the special emphasis was put on the four specific countries - namely Angola, Nigeria, Sudan and Zimbabwe. It analyses how the mutual cooperation has changed during these three different time periods and what has been the main components of China-Africa relationship. Primarily cooperation in the economic (foreign direct investments, foreign aid, balance of trade etc.), the political, but also the military sphere is analysed. The emphasis is also put on the Chinese status of a genuine alternative to the Western donor block, especially its policy of non- interference and aid without conditions. Diploma thesis also briefly touches on the approach of the traditional Western countries towards Africa (Washington versus Beijing Consensus). Positive and negative sides of mutual cooperation is also discussed.