This paper analyses the impact of China-Africa trade relations both at the aggregate African and at the national level of a selected sample of countries. The paper confirms that there are both trade-related gains and losses arising from China-Africa trade relations. Beyond this is the concern that the existing pattern of Africa-China trade-which continues to be strengthened by China's rising profile-does not correspond to the region's longer term objectives, that is, to diversify its economic and trade structure and ensure that trade contributes to the industrial development of African countries. This paper suggests that for many African countries, the negative effects may outweigh the positive ones. Hence, concerted policy measures may need to be taken in particular African countries, carefully crafted in each case to suit specific circumstances. In broad terms, the menu of policy measures could include those aimed at gaining enhanced market access to the Chinese market as well as those targeted at eliminating the binding supply response capacity constraints. Cet article analyse l'impact des relations commerciales entre la Chine et l'Afrique, tant au niveau re´gional que national, a`travers un e´chantillon de pays. Il confirme que ces relations commerciales donnent lieu tant a`des gains qu'a`des pertes. Au dela`de cette constatation, l'article souligne que la structure existante des e´changes entre l'Afrique et la Chine-renforce´e par l'envergure croissante de la place occupe´e par la Chine-ne sert pas les objectifs de l'Afrique a`plus long terme. Autrement dit, ces e´changes ne contribuent pas a`une diversification de la structure e´conomique et commerciale de la re´gion, et n'assure donc pas l'objectif de de´veloppement industriel de pays africains. Cet article sugge`re que, dans beaucoup de cas, les effets ne´gatifs des relations commerciales entre la Chine et l'Afrique peuvent eˆtre plus importants que les effets positifs. En conse´quence, des de´cisions politiques concerte´es devraient eˆtre prises, de´cision qui soient bien adapte´es aux circonstances spe´cifiques de chaque pays. De fac¸on ge´ne´rale, ces de´cisions consisteraient de mesures politiques visant le renforcement de l'acce`s des e´conomies africaines au marche´chinois ainsi que l'e´limination des contraintes de capacite´de production.