On July 3, 2008, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met in the Foreign Ministry with departing Cameroonian Ambassador to China Eleih-Elle Etian, also dean of the African Diplomatic Corps in China, and gave a dinner in his honor.

Yang said in recent years against the backdrop of in-depth development of China-Africa relations, the traditional friendly cooperation between China and Cameroon has achieved new progress with close high-level exchanges and fruitful pragmatic cooperation in all areas. China is ready to work with Cameroon to comprehensively implement the follow-up actions of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to push China-Cameroon ties to one new level after another. Yang appreciated the positive contributions made by Etian during his nearly 20-year tenure to pushing forward China-Cameroon, China-Africa ties, expressing hope that Etian will continue to show in the future care and support for the China-Africa friendship cause.

Etian thanked for the support and assistance the Chinese side offered to him during his tenure, pledging to continue his unremitting efforts for the development of China-Cameroon, China-Africa friendly relations.