Abstract: Virtual water trade is a useful tool for international resource adjustment and has already become an important means for countries or regions facing a scarcity of water resources to trade surplus resources in order to alleviate serious water shortage, so as to guarantee food security and sufficient water supply for essential needs. Here we calculate the quantity of virtual water represented by agricultural trade between China and Africa from 2003 to 2012. The virtual water transfer features distinctive geographic and temporal pattern. From 2003 to 2012, the total amount of virtual water China imported from Africa was 769.71×10⁸ m³, the average virtual water was 76.97×10⁸ m³/year, while the quantity exported to Africa was 427.27×10⁸ m³. Hence there is a net import of virtual water. The countries that are major suppliers of virtual water to China are Mozambique, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Benin and Mali. The major African importers of virtual water from China are South Africa, Morocco, and the Ivory Coast. The agricultural products contributing most to virtual water import by China from Africa are cotton, fruits and animal products; while products contributing significantly to visual water exports from China to Africa are tea, cereals and animal products. The overall balance of virtual water trade between China and Africa moves agricultural products from areas with low efficiency of water use to areas of higher efficiency of water use. This creates a negative impact on global water use efficiency, and a waste of 5.91×10⁸ m³ of water. From a bilateral perspective, the virtual water transfer associated with agricultural trade between China and Africa has desirable water use efficiency benefits for both sides. However, from a global perspective, wasteful virtual water transfer such as this is not sustainable.