Sino-African trade grew by 700% during the 1990’s, doubled from 2000 to 2003, to $18.5 billion, and then jumped to $32.2 billion in the first 10 months of 2005. While trade and investment ties with China helped boost the continent’s overall economic growth to a record-high 5.2% in 2005, China also cancelled $10 billion in bilateral debts from African countries.