The article found out that China's military cooperation with African countries has come a long way. At the 1st stage (late 1950s - mid-1970s), it had an ideological character. In the second (late 1970s - 1990s) - there was a transition to commercialization. In the third (early 2000s to present), China has greatly expanded military cooperation with African countries through various programs. It is emphasized that the deepening of military cooperation strengthens China's position in Africa and increases its competitive advantage not only in the world arms market.