The spatialisation of China’s presence in Cameroon: The case of the mining sector

Abstract

The paper details the entry and the evolution of China in Cameroon from independence to the present day. It also outlines how the development of the mining sector has evolved. Using the spatial signature of China's economic interest, it appears that China started through the “peripheralisation” of its footprint (1971–1976) with subtle investments. China increased its presence in the capital city in a “centralisation” step thanks to diplomatic ties and symbolic investments (1977–1999). Its most recent phase (2000 to present) is characterized by the proliferation throughout the country. Similarly in the mining sector, Chinese actors started as peripheral players in Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) in a first phase characterized by small numbers of non-professional investors originally involved in trade. They then spread rapidly throughout the eastern region, including some as yet unexplored localities, a process accelerated by the arrival of professional miners expelled from Ghana. Concurrently, the industrial mining sector gradually became an area of interest both for private firms and state-owned enterprises. However, while private investors are stepping back, governmental ventures are gaining projects. Overall, China's presence is expanding to all administrative regions and multiple economic sectors, including one of the most recent, the mining sector.