Biya seeking new opportunities at Sino-Africa summit.

President Biya and wife, Chantal, arrived China, to take part in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, FOCAC 2024, early Tuesday.   

After being received at the Beijing International Airport in the wee hours of Wednesday September 4, Biya later had an audience with Chinese President, Xi Jinping.

The Head of State used the audience to talk about opportunities for investment and new areas of possible cooperation with China.

Before the audience, Biya and wife were warmly received at the airport by the Chinese Vice Minister of Housing, Dong Jianguo; the Vice President of the People’s National Assembly of the Beijing Municipality, Bang Li Chueng; Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon, Wang Yingwu as well as the Cameroon Ambassador to China, H.E Martin Mpana. 

They were then driven to the St. Regis Hotel in Beijing, where they will reside during their stay in China. 

At the premises of the hotel, the presidential couple were applauded by a cross section of the Cameroonian community in China, CPDM supporters and a host of members of government and state dignitaries who accompanied him. 

Cameroonians welcoming presidential couple to St Regis Hotel in Beijing 

Cameroonians excited by presidential couple’s presence

There was total excitement, jubilation and cheers from the Cameroonian community in China, when the presidential couple arrived. 

Many, amongst whom were students, expressed optimism for a greater cooperation between both countries. 

The president of the Cameroon Student’s Association in China, Abdou Raman Moussa, said: “We are wishing them a warm welcome. We hope that their stay for the Africa-China Summit will be fruitful for the already existing cooperation between Cameroon and China”.

“I came here to welcome our President, Paul Biya and wife Chantal, who is like a model to us all,” another Cameroonian living in China, Kwekam Noela, stated.

“H.E Chantal Biya really helps the youth in Cameroon...we are proud of her and wish to become what she expects from us. I expect that after this meeting, youths in Cameroon will have a lot of opportunities to improve our lives,” Kwekam added.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament, MP, for Mbam and Kim constituency, Hon Saya Kaigama, said much is expected in terms of cooperation agreements with China.

“My hope is for the Minister of Agriculture to have good cooperation with some great companies so that we can have a great transfer of technology to the country regarding our production capacity,” the MP told State media, CRTV reporters in China. 

It worth noting that on Tuesday, the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs, Liu Yuxi, announced that China and Africa will collaborate to closely to protect the interest of developing nations against the rising tides of hegemonism and cold war mindset. 

She further reiterated that the 2024 Forum on China Africa Cooperation Summit will implement an action plan aimed at enhancing collaboration in global governance, security, trade and investment, over the next three years. 

The Chinese diplomat also emphasised the need for the international community to consider Africa’s perspective and support its peace and development efforts.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3220 of Thursday, September 5, 2024