The Republic of Cameroon and the People’s Republic of China are this year marking 40 years of cooperation. Beyond the number of years that both countries have communed together, the level of diplomatic, political, economic, cultural and social exchanges have been enormous with the signing of more than 20 agreements

Evident signs of mutual respect between Cameroon and China have been manifest in high-level State visits by leaders of both countries. From the first Head of State in Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo to President Paul Biya, China has had the privilege of having consultations at the summit with Cameroon. The most recent was President Paul Biya’s participation in Beijing at the Africa-China Summit that took place in 2006. As if to underpin the respect they have for Cameroon, the President of China, Hu Jintoa and wife who were on an African tour from January to February 2007 spent three days in Cameroon. Such a visit has since been followed by that of other significant Chinese officials to Cameroon.

For Cameroon, not only has the Chinese experience offered a chance for diversified trade and cooperation ties, but it has equally been an opportunity to reinforce the health and economic base of the country. For instance, some of the best hospital infrastructure such as the Yaounde Gynaecology and Obstetric Hospital, the Chinese Hospital in Mbalmayo as well as the recent influx of Chinese herbal treatment in Cameroon have been a source of formal and informal progress emanating from the several health agreements that both countries have signed in the past.

Still on infrastructure, the recent inauguration of the Yaounde Sports Complex has added value to the already existing Yaounde Conference Centre, another imposing structure by the Chinese that has been the pride of Cameroon. This has added to the provision of other social amenities such as the Ayato Water Plant in Douala and several road infrastructure that the Chinese have constructed in Cameroon.

While the People’s Republic of China has been upbeat about the benefits of close ties with Cameroon as well as other African countries, they have also made no secret about their determination to woo the entire African continent both for historical reasons and for China’s present economic growth. The growing industrial strength of China requires much raw material that can easily been provided by reliable partners like Cameroon and other African countries. Thus, the decision by China and Cameroon to partner together within the past 40 years has been strategically beneficial to both nations.

However, although China has continued to qualify her cooperation ties with Cameroon as an example of South-South cooperation, the strides China has made are such that Cameroon has much to benefit by copying such initiatives as President Paul Biya has indicated in the past. The Asian model of development, the President has said, is worth emulating if our rate of economic growth must speedup. With a two digit economic growth rate, China is today gunning for the position of the world’s most powerful economy. As such, for Cameroon to partner with such a country can only be of added advantage. The least of such gains is not the comparative cost that most Chinese firms have been offering as they bid for contracts in the country.