The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sierra Leone has celebrated the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and 55 years of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone with a National Day Reception in Freetown.
The reception was held on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, at the Chinese Embassy on Spur Loop in Freetown, bringing together Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Jeneba J. Bangura, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Zhao Yong, Government officials, Members of Parliament, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of Chinese enterprises and institutions, members of the Chinese community and other distinguished guests.
Addressing the gathering, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Zhao Yong, highlighted China’s economic transformation and said the country had become the world’s second-largest economy, with significant improvements in its comprehensive national strength and the living standards of its people.
Zhao Yong said China’s Gross Domestic Product reached US$10.25 trillion in the first half of 2026, representing a 4.7 per cent year-on-year increase, while foreign trade reached US$3.75 trillion, an increase of 16.9 per cent.
He also highlighted the growth of China’s exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar cells, which he said increased by 45.8 per cent. Zhao Yong further stated that China had become the largest holder of global artificial intelligence patents, accounting for 60 per cent of the world’s total.
According to Zhao Yong, China continues to expand high-standard opening up and remains committed to sharing development opportunities with other countries. He noted that China had signed Belt and Road Initiative cooperation documents with more than 150 countries.
Zhao Yong also said China had, from 1 May 2026, fully implemented zero tariffs on imports from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, describing the policy as an opportunity to deepen trade and economic cooperation between China and Africa.
Turning to China-Sierra Leone relations, Zhao Yong described the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an important milestone in the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
He said China and Sierra Leone had supported and respected each other over the past 55 years, while expressing appreciation for Sierra Leone’s consistent support for the one-China principle.
Zhao Yong said cooperation between the two countries in politics, trade and investment, health, education and culture had produced fruitful results, describing China-Sierra Leone relations as an example of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation.
He said China had remained Sierra Leone’s largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment for more than a decade. Zhao Yong disclosed that bilateral trade reached approximately US$1.466 billion in the first half of 2026, representing an increase of about 38 per cent compared to the same period the previous year.
The Chinese Ambassador also highlighted China’s contribution to Sierra Leone’s health sector, stating that Chinese medical teams had provided more than one million medical services to Sierra Leoneans over the past five decades.
On education and people-to-people exchanges, Zhao Yong disclosed that 130 Sierra Leonean students had obtained Chinese Government scholarships in 2026, while more than 530 Sierra Leoneans had travelled to China for short-term training.
Zhao Yong said China is ready to work with Sierra Leone to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, make full use of the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and further strengthen the China-Sierra Leone Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
Speaking at the reception, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Jeneba J. Bangura, congratulated the Government and people of China on the anniversary and said Sierra Leone joined the Chinese people in celebrating China’s development achievements.
Jeneba J. Bangura said China’s economic transformation had significant implications for developing countries, pointing to its achievements in infrastructure, manufacturing, technology, agriculture, renewable energy and human capital development.
She said China’s development experience offered Sierra Leone opportunities for dialogue, cooperation and knowledge sharing, while expressing the country’s interest in continued collaboration with China in agriculture, food security, infrastructure, trade and investment.
Jeneba J. Bangura recalled that Sierra Leone and China established diplomatic relations on 29 July 1971 and said the relationship had since developed into a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership anchored on mutual respect, equality, trust and mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister highlighted China’s contributions to Sierra Leone’s infrastructure, agriculture, health and education sectors, citing projects and initiatives including the National Stadium, the China-Sierra Leone Friendship Road and agricultural technical cooperation.
She called for increased Chinese investment in Sierra Leone beyond extractive industries, particularly in agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, renewable energy technology and tourism.
On education and people-to-people relations, Jeneba J. Bangura said Sierra Leonean students had benefited from Chinese scholarships and training opportunities for decades, while cultural, medical and academic exchanges had continued to strengthen relations between the peoples of the two countries.
She also highlighted cooperation between Sierra Leone and China at the United Nations, particularly during Sierra Leone’s 2024 to 2025 tenure on the United Nations Security Council.
Looking ahead, Jeneba J. Bangura said the next chapter of the partnership should focus on expanding economic opportunities, deepening investment, strengthening trade, increasing educational exchanges, advancing technological cooperation and promoting closer people-to-people relations.
She reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership with China and translating the political understanding between the two countries into practical outcomes that would benefit their citizens.
The reception concluded with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Yong proposing a toast to the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the prosperity of China and Sierra Leone, the enduring friendship between the two countries and the health and wellbeing of the guests and their families.
