Prime Minister Philemon Yang held talks on May 24 with Sinochem group's officials.

The Chinese company, SINOCHEM, that holds 90 per cent shares in the HEVECAM rubber company in the South Region, has announced the imminent expansion of its plantations by 20, 000 hectares with the site ready for planting.

The company's President, who is also the Chief Executive Officer, Liu Deshu, led a delegation of eight to the Prime Minister's Office on May 24, 2013, where they were received on behalf of the Head of State. Liu Deshu, who is also a Central Committee member of the Communist Party in China, promised to increase the activities of his company in Cameroon.

The group, founded in 1950, reviewed rubber production activities with the Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang. SINOCHEM is the largest shareholder of the Niété-based HEVECAM Company since 1996. It covers 45,000 hectares of rubber plantation. The delegation, accompanied by Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon, Wo Ruidi, pledged to work in earnest for the development of Cameroon, promising to replace ageing trees for sustainable rubber development.

The Administrative Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sud Cameroun Hevea S.A, Jean Marc Seyman, told reporters after the audience how grateful SINOCHEM was for the opportunity offered by Cameroon to establish, strengthen and develop their involvement in the country's development. "It is our intention to keep growing, expanding and creating employment for Cameroonians." The company is doing well, Seyman said, and plans are underway to develop another project in Meyomessala, still in the South Region where the project is already being developed.

SINOCHEM is one of the biggest State-owned companies in China and is the 168th largest corporation in the world. SINOCHEM's core businesses span energy, agriculture, chemical, real estate and financial services with investments in Africa and Cameroon in the rubber sector. It employs over 5,000 Cameroonians in rubber production. It is also one of China's four state oil companies, the biggest agricultural input company (fertilizer, seed and pesticide), and also a leading chemical service company.