Cameroon – China APECA Trade 2025 Talks Begin

Tuesday 16th December 2025

by inAfrika Newsroom

The Cameroon China APECA trade 2025 process has formally begun after the two countries signed a framework agreement in Yaoundé this week. The deal marks the first step toward a China–Africa Shared Development Economic Partnership Agreement, aimed at securing full duty-free access for Cameroonian exports to the Chinese market.

Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana and China’s ambassador Xu Yong signed the accord at Cameroon’s Ministry of External Relations on 10 December. The document sets out objectives, principles and mechanisms for detailed negotiations between expert teams from both sides.

Officials say the initiative builds on a sharp rise in trade. China has become Cameroon’s second-largest export destination, overtaking France and signalling a shift in long-standing commercial patterns. The Cameroon China APECA trade 2025 talks are expected to focus on agriculture, timber, minerals and manufactured goods.

The planned agreement sits within a broader China–Africa strategy aimed at expanding market access, investment and industrial cooperation. For Cameroon, negotiators link it to Vision 2035, which targets higher value-added exports and regional integration.

Next steps for Cameroon China APECA trade 2025

Working groups will now map priority products and identify tariff lines where duty-free access could bring quick gains for farmers and manufacturers. They will also review sanitary, phytosanitary and technical standards that currently limit exports.

Cameroon’s trade ministry plans to consult domestic producers to ensure they can meet quality and volume requirements. At the same time, negotiators must consider how lower tariffs will affect local industries facing import competition from China.

Regional bodies and AfCFTA officials will watch how the deal interacts with existing African trade commitments, to avoid conflicting rules and help firms use multiple preferences in a coherent way.

Why it matters for Cameroon China APECA trade 2025

A well-designed pact could open a much larger Chinese market for Cameroonian cocoa, coffee, fruit, timber products and processed foods. That would support rural incomes and industrial jobs if value addition happens at home.

Yet the talks also raise questions about long-term dependence and balance. For Africa, the test is whether new deals with China encourage investment in processing, logistics and skills rather than locking economies into raw commodity exports and growing deficits. How Cameroon manages this negotiation will be watched closely across the continent.