African decolonization and the rise of China are two of the most significant developments of the 20th and 21st centuries, transforming international society and remaking the global political and economic landscapes. Sinologists and Africanists have made considerable inroads into understanding these twin phenomena—as well as their attendant challenges and possibilities—as subjects of inquiry in their own right. But it was not until recently that scholars have begun to investigate these crucial processes as deeply interwoven. As Africa and China continue to move towards each other at warp speed in geopolitical, diplomatic, and economic arenas, this conference aims to explore the longer arc of the increasingly axial Africa-China relationship.