Another century another Asian economic miracle. In the mid part of the 20th century Japan led the way posting astounding economic growth rates year after year, no to be outdone the Asian tigers, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore joined the party creating a ring of prosperity across the far eastern edge of Asia. However in terms the global impact these not inconsequential achievements may be dwarfed by the rise of the Chinese behemoth.

Chinese economic reforms in 1978, set the stage the years of double digit GDP growth and has powered this nation of over 1.3bn people to the premier league of national economies. With growth has come industrialisation and the need to feed China's seemingly insatiable appetite with energy and raw materials. To satisfy this need China has turned south to Africa, home to some the world's greatest untapped reserves of oil, gas and other natural resources.

In recent years China's has undertaken a blitzkrieg of economic diplomacy across the continent, culminating in the historic Sino-African summit in Beijing last year. The visits and the summit have cumulated in a raft of deals, with China securing access to mineral, oil rights and local markets across Africa in return for infrastructure, credit and cash.

On paper it seems like straightforward pieces of business, but concerns are being raised. In Sudan China has been accused of turning a blind eye to the genocide in Darfur as it supplies the Sudanese regime with military equipment in return for access to Sudan's oil resources. China's investments in Zambian copper mines have been bedeviled by local protests about Chinese labour practices to an extent that the issue became key debating point in last year Presidential elections. Development agencies are querying the credit facilities China offers to African countries arguing that this undoes some of the work that has been done on debt relief. These are some of the concerns being raised and they are rising.

China response has been that it does not mix business with politics and has shown no sign of halting its in roads into Africa.

Is this ultimately good for Africa? Is this a relationship of equals? Or are we saying a replay of the relationship that Africa had with Europe, one with unequal partners and ultimately exploitative. Or is it time that Africa grows up and learns to play its cards properly?