I saw first-hand the booming business sector in East Africa due to
Chinese support and influence. Nearly all of the machinery and cars I saw were Chinese, and sometimes I would encounter just as much Chinese characters as Swahili letters on signage. Undoubtedly a lot of the criticism and fear of Chinese businessmen entering African markets are couched in protectionism, but this inevitable competition has its mixed blessings -- evident by the sudden increase of employed locals and the region's gradual development.
As China learns to balance a relationship with a continent perhaps the most foreign from its own background, it will be interesting to see how it deals with such complex diplomatic challenges.
On a related note, there was one rather well-known Chinese restaurant in Zanzibar called Pagoda Chinese Restaurant. (Such a trip!) We didn't have a chance to eat there but according to the nearby Stone Town businesses it's still run by a Chinese family who has lived there for multiple generations and is a staple of the local restaurant scene!
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