Soaring demand

Throughout the streets of Douala and other major urban settlements, the soaring demand for Chinese dresses, toys, medicines, motorbikes and electronic appliances among others has led to cutthroat competition for street-side commercial space between Chinese nationals and their Cameroonian hosts.

Economists say the failure of the country to manufacture consumer goods and the heavy dependence on imports has favored the steady influx over the years of Chinese products.

Calixtus Fuh Gentry is the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Mines, Industries and Technological Development. He said the situation is not peculiar to Cameroon.

"China is bailing out the whole," said Gentry. "The U.S. owes China lots of money. China is bailing out Europe. So it’s not that we’re rushing to China. The very partners we started with, who are internationally renowned companies from very highly industrialized countries are heading to China to get financing, or they’re bought out by the Chinese."

However, a fraction of Cameroonian consumers said they would not, for anything in the world, spend a dime on Chinese goods for Christmas. For them, the more expensive products from Europe or America are better because they last longer.

Demand for consumer electronics

Despite the ongoing debate, Chinese products have clearly topped the wish lists for many this Christmas in Cameroon. Among the choice items for shoppers are educational electronic toys and gadgets including laptops.