Lukhona Mnguni, Umbilo, Durban: The delegation led by Jacob Zuma to go and meet Hu Jianto's China is said to be the biggest delegation ever to go for a state visit.

It is clear that Zuma's government sees China as a key ally in the global world going forward. But it is good to ask what South Africa can gain from a relationship with China?

Is China's new-found economic superiority yielding positive changes for its ordinary citizens? At what cost has China been able to emerge as a globally competitive force?

China openly practices child labour and it concerns me when a South African president gives that country so much respect.

Does it mean that all of a sudden South Africa is accepting of child labour? The GDP per capita of China remains very low, meaning that spending for ordinary citizens remains low and there is little improvement in their lives. Only the rich are getting richer.

The Gini coefficient of China has been increasing (now it's at about 46.9), meaning that the gap between the rich and poor is growing.

In South Africa, the retail industry is going down, the country is shedding jobs because the markets are flooded with cheap products coming from China.

Will China be willing to teach South Africa how it has become the biggest exporter of cheaper products? Or will South Africa not be receptive to its growth plans, if they sometimes come at the cost of human rights?

Though China is run by a communist party, the decision makers of the country are becoming the greatest capitalists in the world.

South Africa now needs to re-look as to how it wants to approach development.