H.E. Zhao Yong, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone and China are thousands of miles apart, but I have a special connection with Sierra Leone. A month ago, I set foot on this beautiful land for the fourth time. Unlike my previous three visits to Sierra Leone from 2005 to 2010, this time, as the ambassador to Sierra Leone, I came to Freetown again and deeply felt “three changes” and “three no changes”.
The first change is that Sierra Leone has made remarkable improvement and progress in economic and social development. Twenty years ago, when I first set foot on this land, Sierra Leone was just emerging from the trauma of civil war. Twenty years later, under the guidance of H.E. President Bio’s “Big Five Game Changers”, the streets of Freetown are booming with prosperity. And as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the past two years and the chair of ECOWAS, Sierra Leone has made significant contributions to promoting global peace and development, and safeguarding African unity and core interests.
The second change is that China-Sierra Leone high-level exchanges become closer and the relationship is constantly moving forward. In 2024, H.E. President Bio paid a state visit to China and attended the FOCAC Beijing Summit. He is the first Sierra Leonean head of state to visit China twice in a single year. Two months ago, Chinese Vice Premier, Liu Guozhong, successfully visited Sierra Leone. China and Sierra Leone also share broad common interests and similar positions on international and regional issues. And we coordinate closely in multilateral arenas.
The third change is that China-Sierra Leone practical cooperation is continuously deepening and the benefits are enjoyed by the two peoples. In recent years, with joint efforts, China and Sierra Leone completed many projects, such as Juba Bridge, Regent Road, National Optical Fiber Backbone Network and Foreign Service Academy. Last year, benefited from China’s zero-tariff treatment for African countries, Sierra Leone’s Wild Aquatic Products began exporting to China. The bilateral cooperation in the health sector continues to deepen. And people-to-people exchange becomes more frequent. Last year, the Chinese Embassy issued over 6,500 visas to Sierra Leonean citizens, setting a new record.
As time flows, it is heartening to see these pleasant changes. And along with the changes there are three things never changed.
The first thing not changed is the solid bond between our peoples. When Ebola struck Sierra Leone in 2014, China was the first to dispatch medical team here. When COVID-19 emerged in China in 2020, the Sierra Leone Parliament passed a resolution to express solidarity with China. In times of hardship, our two peoples have chosen to stand firmly behind each other.
The second thing not changed is the tradition of unwavering political support between China and Sierra Leone. In 1971, with the support of Sierra Leone and other African brothers, China restored its the lawful rights in UN. Sierra Leone always upholds the One-China principle and provides firm support to China on issues concerning China’s core interests. China firmly supports Sierra Leone to choose a development path suited to its national realities, and supports Sierra Leone’s active role in multilateral platforms such as UN and ECOWAS.
The third thing not changed is the our commitment to jointly uphold international fairness and justice and promote global common development. As fellow developing countries, China and Sierra Leone have consistently supported each other in international affairs, defended the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law and the basic norms of international relations founded on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We actively safeguard the interests of developing countries and jointly build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. We have also made positive contributions to building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
China and Sierra Leone are old friends who understand and cherish each other and good partners who march forward side by side. Under the strategic guidance of our two heads of state, China-Sierra Leone relations have maintained high-level momentum, with steady progress across all areas of cooperation.
As Ambassador to Sierra Leone, I will work with friends from all walks of life in Sierra Leone to deepen the traditional friendship, expand the practical cooperation and elevate China-Sierra Leone relations to new heights in the new era. We will ensure that the fruits of cooperation will benefit the peoples of both countries more extensively and contribute to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
