YAOUNDE, Nov.5 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon's businesses look forward to attending the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and expect to build new contacts and partnerships at the trade fair, according to Jean-Pierre Mbanga, a young entrepreneur from the Central West African country.

"We hope to participate as early as possible, build new contacts and partnerships," the 29-year-old told Xinhua in an interview in Douala, Cameroon's economic capital, ahead of his departure for the CIIE in Shanghai. "I believe this participation will once again be an opportunity" for new collaborations.

An annual trade fair held in Shanghai, the 8th edition of the CIIE this year opened Wednesday and will run through Nov. 10.

Mbanga last participated in the international trade fair in 2019. "We've participated once, and that single experience was transformative," he noted. "Events like the CIIE have given entrepreneurs like us a new perspective -- a new way of telling the story of Cameroonian business and economic potential."

The last CIIE experience also inspired him to create Legends Association in 2021 -- a local producers' association that promotes agricultural product processing and supports smaller entrepreneurs in adding value to their products. Mbanga said the platform is intended to "promote local know-how and create more opportunities for collaboration with Chinese and international partners."

Mbanga said the 2019 CIIE participation broadened his vision, calling it "a great discovery." It took him "to see how we could structure our approaches and our offers." It came as "a huge surprise," he said, when he found that "the Chinese, other Asians, and even Westerners were very interested in our products and services. Whether they were edible goods -- agricultural and food products -- cosmetics, or wood products."

From the CIIE, Mbanga said he learned a very important lesson: the market is demanding, with strict international standards. "When I returned home, that was the first thing I focused on," he said.

The CIIE "has been the driving force behind our development in Cameroon," he noted. "What we saw there ... was truly motivating. It allowed us to return home and establish the business model we operate today."

"Attending an international event of such level and scale made me realize that international exchanges are always beneficial," he said, adding that "we were able to get in touch with many partners."

The entrepreneur said the partnerships he established with Chinese enterprises at the 2019 CIIE enabled his company to secure high-quality packaging and lower-cost machines, making its products more competitive on local, African, and international markets.

This year, Mbanga is presenting a new catalog of Cameroonian products at the CIIE. He hopes this platform will "launch new trade dynamics between Cameroon and China," while expressing hope that there could be government-supported mechanisms to facilitate the exchanges between Cameroonian and Chinese businesses.

Regarding China's zero-tariff policy for African countries that have diplomatic ties with China, he said it encourages him to do more business with China. To export to such a vast market as China at zero tariff is "truly amazing and rewarding," he said.

"That's one of the reasons why I am attending the trade fair this year ... I want to use this opportunity to know what sells in China most in order to export there," Mbanga said. ■