Out of Africa: Will China's Military Displace the United States on the Continent?

Developed nations still have much to do in their pledges to provide money and transfer low-carbon and environmental friendly technologies to developing countries, Mr. Xie said.

He said he is happy that trade between China and Africa has continued to grow with statistics showing that in 2014, it exceeded US$220 billion, and China's investment stock in Africa surpassed US$30 billion.

The debt that China has abated over African countries is up to 21.3 billion RMB (Renminbi), taking 68% of China's total debt abated over foreign countries.

He reiterated China's goals in its own action plan, called "Intended Nationally Determined Contribution" (INDC): "cutting its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030, increasing non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 per cent and peaking its carbon emissions by the same date".

"China's needs are changing".

On Thursday, China announced it had signed a 10-year agreement with the African nation Djibouti to build a logistical military hub after successful negotiations with President Ismail Omar Guelleh.

The African market has become one of the most important for Lenovo, the world's largest PC maker and smartphones from Huawei are also popular.

"As China continues to promote pragmatic co-operation between China and Africa, we will strengthen bilateral co-operation in counter-terrorism and the fight against extremism", Wang told diplomats and reporters gathered in Beijing.

The Johannesburg summit will be a "milestone" in China-Africa ties and trade cooperation, he added. Unlike companies who need to focus on earning today's bread, Chinese NGOs could spend more energy and time studying the challenges that are more long term but more substantial; unlike government, NGOs and media could quickly respond with more open conversation, and therefore would help people understand Chinese in Africa better; unlike the old generation of Chinese in Africa, they would be more open, more internationalized, more devoted to community development, wildlife conservation, and so on, and therefore could help build a different image of Chinese in Africa.

By China moving beyond agreements to temporarily make use of other bases makes sense, this is because it has a major economic presence in the area.

Since the outbreak of the deadly virus past year, China has delivered more than 750 million yuan (117 million US dollars) worth of humanitarian aid and sent hundreds of medical workers to the front line in Ebola-stricken West Africa.

China unveiled them yesterday through its official Xinhua news agency at the end of a three-day, closed-door meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping and attended by 200 military officials.

The issue of wild life protection is also expected to be part of the discussion at the upcoming forum, according to Dr. Patrick Bergin, CEO of the Africa Wildlife Foundation (AWF).

Chinese authorities imposed a one-year ban on imports of African ivory as hunting trophies, as part of efforts against rampant poaching in the continent, on October 15.