Sino-African relations rose to new heights last week with the huge success of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, FOCAC. Beijing hosted 50 African leaders in its largest and warmest summit ever! And the communique was a heart-warming Beijing Declaration which signalled a win-win partnership for the future. It was a new wave, creating new ways for all.

Welcome to contention, controversy and conspiracy theory! Oh, expected. The West was clearly jittery, and "concerned"! Many commentators saw nothing more than another "scramble" for Africa!! They warned against exploitation and neocolonialism!!! They see the Chinese game plan as no more than some trade-conquest, breeding support for dictatorships, corrupt regimes and human rights violators....asking no questions, just milking the continent. Any point? Well, well...

Let the taste of the pudding be in the eating! In China. In Africa. We wait.

Not surprisingly, the foreign ministers of Ethiopia, China and Egypt did their very best to tackle and address these and other matters in the final press conference. It was heated. It was robust. It was telling. I enjoyed the show. Was the West convinced? Need they be? We wait.

Talking of show, the Cultural Finale was a spectacular. A combined and alternating blend of Sino-African soul in Command Performance: What a fest! The future was manifest in their zest.

Long live FOCAC!