China has enjoyed a long history of friendship with countries in Africa, and the bilateral relations have been further strengthened over the past few decades due to closer economic ties and more people-to-people exchanges.
What do Africans think of China? What about China do they like the most? What do African people think of China's increasing investment and trade ties with their continent?
The latest figures from the Afrobarometer, a pan-African research network, show that 63 percent of people surveyed believe China has a positive influence on their country while 15 percent say China has a negative influence.
The survey also outlines the top five reasons why Africans welcome China. For example, over 70 percent are happy with Chinese investment and the cost of Chinese products.
About 10 percent like China's political stance in regional and international affairs.
But friendships don't get built overnight. Following the Asian-African Conference in Bandung in 1955, many African countries established diplomatic ties with China. They also supported China when it moved to restore its legal seat at the United Nations (UN).
Since the first Forum of China-Africa Cooperation in 2000, the two sides have become closer in terms of trade and investment, political dialogue and people-to-people exchanges.
In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a summit in Johannesburg and proposed 10 major plans for cooperation for the next three years.
In July this year, Xi paid visits to Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa and Mauritius on his first overseas trip since being re-elected as Chinese president.
In May this year, Burkina Faso restored diplomatic ties with Beijing. So far, China has established diplomatic ties with all African countries but one: Eswatini, which was formerly known as Swaziland.
