<p>1978 saw inportant changes in Chin’a foreign aid programme. It cut aid to its two largest recipients, Vietnam and Albania. At the same time, China reqested aid from the United Nations for the first time, and negotiated loans from other countires, although it appeared contradictory that China was continuiing to give foreign economic assistance whilst soliciting aid for itself. This paper provides an overview of the Chinese aid situation in 1978, including its involvement in aid to Africa.</p>