Until recently, Chinese public relations in Africa consisted of little more than bland statements from Beijing, often serving only to reinforce the belief of China’s critics in the west that it had something to be ashamed of in the continent. No longer.

Stung by the charge that they are neo-colonialists engaged in a remorseless drive for Africa’s commodities, Chinese diplomats are increasingly engaging in the debate over their country’s role in Africa. Few are more thoughtful than Zhong Jianhua, the Chinese ambassador to Pretoria.