Circumspecte

China’s engagement with Africa has made the headlines in recent times as more African countries turn East for financial and technical assistance with business and development. There is increased commodity trade between the two, and last year, China surpassed the US as Africa’s largest trade partner with trade flows equaling an estimated US $200 billion. Many African governments have expressed their support for the so-called Chinese model which they regard as being more rooted in partnership than in the traditional donor-beneficiary relationship that characterizes foreign assistance from the West. However, critics have warned that China's engagement reeks of "neo-colonialism" and have denounced China’s poor record of human rights and environmental protection. Despite the increased economic engagement between China and African governments, the level of dialogue at the grassroots and amongst citizens has been at a minimum. Chinese and Africans regard each another with...