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DE RUEHYD #0091/01 0471107
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FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0042
INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 YAOUNDE 000091 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL CM ECON EFIS EINV CH ETRD ENRG EPET EAGR
SUBJECT: China's Growing Presence in Cameroon 
 
REF: STATE 10152 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  China has a long bilateral friendship with 
Cameroon, reflected in the 2007 visit to Cameroon by President Hu 
Jintao.  The Chinese government has provided grants or concessional 
loans to fund a number infrastructure projects (hospitals, schools, 
roads, and stadiums).  China provides military training, equipment, 
and technical assistance.  Chinese engagement has increased over 
the past year, with new infrastructure projects and broader 
commercial ties, including a 34% jump in bilateral trade from 2008 
to 2009.  Cameroonians appear increasingly suspicious of China's 
engagement.  Despite China's growing importance in Cameroon, we and 
other major donors see no real opportunities for cooperation.  This 
cable responds to reftel request for information in advance of a 
U.S.-China sub-regional dialogue in March.  End summary. 
 
 
 
A History of Engagement 
 
 
 
¶2.  (SBU) China sees Cameroon as a longtime friend, with relations 
established in 1971. Cameroon has consistently supported the One 
China policy.  China sees Cameroon as a linchpin in the Central 
African region, with a port and economy of regional importance. 
Chinese President Hu Jintao's January 30 - February 1, 2007 visit 
to Cameroon (and Cameroon President Biya's four visits to China) 
reflect this historical friendship and regional importance. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (U)  President Hu Jintao signed eight bilateral accords during 
his 2007 visit worth over $129 million, nearly a quarter of which 
($30.7 million) was debt forgiveness.  The accords awarded 
concessional loans to build and equip a gynecological, obstetric 
and pediatric hospital in Douala, construct two rural primary 
schools, and increase technical and economic cooperation.  The 
money also funded projects of the GRC's choosing, which included 
wireless (CDMA) phone technology for CAMTEL (developed by Huawei 
Technologies), a potable water project for Douala, and several 
small agricultural projects. 
 
 
 
¶4.  (U) China has funded other construction and infrastructure 
projects.  The Lagdo hydroelectric dam was built by a Chinese 
construction company in the 1980s.  China built the Guider Hospital 
in North Province, the Mbalmayo Hospital, the Yaounde 
Gyno-Obstetric Hospital, and the Yaounde Conference Center.   China 
has also built a number of roads in Douala.  Some small towns in 
Cameroon, such as Guider with a population of about 70,000 in North 
Region, benefit from resident Chinese doctors funded by the Chinese 
government.  The Chinese are active in the fishing sector, 
including in Limbe. 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  In other areas, China provides some scholarships for 
studying in China and has built a Confucius Institute at the 
Institute of International Relations (IRIC) for the study of 
Chinese language and culture.  China has an ongoing 
military-military relationship with Cameroon, which includes 
training for Cameroonian military students each year in China, 
technical advisors to assist in repairing Cameroonian military 
vehicles and naval vessels, and Chinese military sales. 
 
 
 
New Initiatives: Cultural and Political 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) Chinese engagement has intensified over the past year.  The 
Embassy hosted high profile cultural events in Yaounde and Douala 
to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Chinese Revolution, 
followed by an even higher profile opening of a major indoor sports 
stadium in Yaounde, funded by a Chinese government grant and built 
by a Chinese construction firm.   China recently donated 510 books 
to the University of Maroua in the Far North Region as the basis of 
a local Confucius Institute.  The Chinese Communist Party donated 
computers to the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement 
(CPDM).  Cameroon's President of the National Assembly, Caveye 
Yegui Djibril, made a widely publicized visit to China in December 
¶2009. 
 
YAOUNDE 00000091  002 OF 003 
 
 
New Economic Ties 
 
 
 
¶7.  (U) In August, 2009 the government awarded Chinese firm 
SinoHydro Corporation Ltd. a $302 million contract on a Build Own 
Operate basis to construct the Memve'ele hydroelectric dam in South 
Region.  The project had previously been under negotiation with 
British firm Globelecq.  In January 2010, China signed a $49 
million preferential loan with Cameroon for the construction of the 
Mekin hydroelectric power plant in the South Region.  In November 
2009, Exim Bank China contributed financing worth more than $180 
million for various projects, including the second phase of a 
Douala water project, the construction of two stadiums in Bafoussam 
and Limbe, and the construction of the Douala Gyno-Obstetric 
Hospital. 
 
 
 
¶8.  (U) Also in the past year, Chinese companies have gotten 
agreements to explore for iron ore near Kribi and oil in the Far 
North region.  With the collapse of the timber market in Europe as 
a result of the global financial crisis, sources tell us that more 
Cameroonian timber has been exported to China.  Chinese nationals 
have also been given large tracts of land for agricultural 
production, including rice, mushrooms and corn.  Other Chinese road 
projects are also in the works. 
 
 
 
¶9.  (U)  China and Cameroon signed a trade agreement in 2002 giving 
each other "most favored nation" trading status.  According to 
Chinese government trade statistics for the first three quarters of 
2009, Chinese trade with Cameroon totaled $1.5 million in 2009 (up 
34%), with 916 million in Chinese exports to Cameroon (up 17%) and 
$5.9 million in imports from Cameroon to China (up 71%).  According 
to 2008 WTO data, China is Cameroon's third largest source of 
imports (9.1%); according to the Chinese Embassy here, China is 
Cameroon's sixth largest export market.  Cameroon's main Chinese 
imports are building materials, chemicals, machinery, textiles, and 
electronics.  Cameroon's main exports to China are oil, timber, 
rubber, cotton and agricultural products. 
 
 
 
¶10.  (U) China's commercial presence in Cameroon ranges from 
restaurants, small shops and vending operations, to at least 15 
Chinese public works companies with business totaling over $16 
million.  According to Xinhua News Agency, the number of Chinese in 
Cameroon doubled from 2006 to 2008 to around 2,000.  We would guess 
this has increased significantly since 2008, with Chinese citizens 
much more evident in the country over the past year. 
 
 
 
Cameroon's Views of China 
 
 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Cameroonians seem increasingly suspicious of China's 
presence and intentions in Cameroon.  There is concern about the 
growing activity of small-scale businesses and the larger numbers 
of Chinese in Yaounde and Douala.  There is also frustration with 
competition from cheap Chinese goods, problems with counterfeit 
Chinese imports, and the small number of Cameroonians employed in 
Chinese projects.  China's image was damaged when Chinese were 
discovered smuggling ivory from Cameroon to China in 2006 and 2007. 
Many Cameroonians also resent illegal Chinese fishing in 
Cameroonian waters.  Pol/Econ LES witnessed this fishing when 
accompanying visiting NOAA officials on a boat trip off the coast 
of Kribi.  In October 2008, the Cameroonian Navy also made a very 
high profile and well-publicized seizure of a Chinese fishing 
trawler that was illegally operating near Kribi.  Traditional 
Cameroonian fishermen are especially antagonistic towards 
large-scale Chinese fishing operations.  The Cameroonians believe 
that the Chinese are over-harvesting the coastal areas and making 
it difficult for traditional fishermen to survive. 
 
 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The GRC seeks to benefit from a full range of partners 
and sees its relationship with China as a way to balance its 
friendly relations with France and the United States.  It 
appreciates China's infrastructure support.  No doubt some in 
government also appreciate the Chinese willingness to look the 
other way on corruption, democracy and human rights.  However, 
 
YAOUNDE 00000091  003 OF 003 
 
 
there is also a certain degree of caution among government 
contacts.  In a recent meeting with Ambassador, President Paul Biya 
expressed frustration with China's global role. 
 
 
 
Areas for Cooperation 
 
 
 
¶13.  (SBU) We are friendly with Chinese diplomats on a personal 
level and invite them to many of our events.  The Chinese invite us 
to their large diplomatic receptions and occasionally to smaller 
events.  However, there are no areas in which we formally 
coordinate or cooperate.  Both the USG and the Chinese government 
support often complementary efforts in the health, energy and 
agriculture sectors, and in principle we and other donors believe 
it would be positive to have a more collaborative relationship. 
However, we see little scope for this at the moment.  Our 
approaches to development and attitudes toward corruption and 
acceptable business practices are on opposite ends of the spectrum. 
These  divergences are compounded by differences in language and 
working styles, as well as lingering mutual suspicions. 
 
 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Other donor embassies also see little room for 
cooperation with the Chinese.  The recently departed EU Chief of 
Mission privately discouraged engaging the Chinese as they were not 
"like-minded."  The Multi-Donor Committee, established to 
coordinate aid pursuant to the Paris Declaration, rarely sees 
Chinese participation.  French development officials, who carry 
great weight in the development community in Cameroon, recently 
said they too saw no prospect for cooperation with China. 
GARVEY