China in Africa, what's the deal?

Western governments are getting alarmed at the rate at which China is penetrating fledgling African economies, is there cause for alarm?
The Chinese bring welcome investment to the African continent when others are more wary, they are active in quite a few, mainly pariah countries like Sudan, Zimbabwe and also countries like Angola, Nigeria etc
They offer help with infrastructural projects in return for crude oil or minerals as the case may be.
Some analysts say China is only trying to protect its economy by ensuring and safeguarding a steady supply of raw materials but at what cost to Africa?
A country like Zimbabwe is in a beggar has no choice situation and will take any deal the Chinese offer whatever the cost.
Critics also say that China with its poor human rights record doesn't have the interest of any country at heart and is only trying to ensure the best deal for itself. They therefore turn a blind eye to corruption, human rights abuses etc claiming to have a policy not to interfere with domestic politics.
A few deals come to scrutiny, are we really getting value for money?
In Nigeria, an $8 billion rail contract was signed for upgrading part of the railway service, critics have pointed out that China has just completed a similar length of rail track in more difficult mountainous country at a fraction of the cost, smells of underhand dealing
The Nigsat debacle also comes to mind, how much did Nigeria really pay towards the procurement of this satellite? and how come it has suddenly packed up so early in its life? I suspect we paid for a dud, what is the failure rate of new satellites and what is China's record in the field of satellite technology?

There are rumours that the Nigerian president, Yar'Adua may scrap the contract, who is going to lose out here Nigeria or China?

But then $340 million on paper doesn't mean that $340 million was spent on procuring the satellite some probably went to bribes. You get what you pay for after all. Apparently $250 million was paid to China to kickstart the project.

There are still questions to be asked

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