——Written on the occasion of publishing of China-Sierra Leone Relations—Friendship, Co-Operation & Win-Win Diplomacy
By H.E. Wang Qing, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone
The new book “China-Sierra Leone Relations—Friendship, Co-Operation & Win-Win Diplomacy” edited by Professor David J. Francis, also the former Chief Minister and Foreign Minister, was published recently. It’s a great pleasure for me to launch this book together with Minister Timothy Musa Kabba, Prof. Francis and other distinguished guests last week. This book demonstrates how our two countries and peoples are committed to developing China-Sierra Leone relations based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, no matter how the international landscape and the domestic situation of our two countries may change. This book will not only provide an opportunity for us to review the 53 years journey of our productive bilateral relations but also help us to explore how to break new ground and create a brighter future for our traditional friendship. When expressing my highest congratulations and appreciation to Prof. Francis and other contributors of this book, I would like to share some of my thoughts on the 53 years of China-Sierra Leone Relations.
On July 29, 1971, Chairman Mao Zedong and President Siaka Stevens made the historical decision to establish diplomatic ties between China and Sierra Leone. Since then, China-Sierra Leone relations stay committed to the original aspiration and maintained a strong momentum of development. There are some unchangebleness.
The political trust between China and Sierra Leone in supporting each other’s core interests and jointly safeguarding international fairness and justice has never changed. The friendship between China and Sierra Leone was forged in our respective endeavor towards national independence and liberation and a more just and equitable global order. We will never forget that it was Sierra Leone and other African brothers who brought the People’s Republic of China into the United Nations and have long firmly upheld the one-China principle. China also firmly supports Sierra Leone in choosing a development path that suits its own national conditions, safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests, and playing an active role in international and regional affairs in multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and African Union.
The principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit which guided our practical cooperation towards common development has never changed. China always believes that the common development of all countries is the real development, and no one should be left behind on the road to modernization.
Whether in providing the development assistance to Sierra Leone, or the cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative in recent years, or the market-oriented trade and investment cooperation by enterprise, China has always adhered to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, adhered to non-interference in internal affairs and has never imposed its will or attached any political conditions. We sincerely hope that through the mutually beneficial cooperation, we can help Sierra Leone achieve the goals set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the African Union 2063 Agenda, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The traditional friendship which bring our two peoples together to address difficulties and challenges side by side has never changed. When our peoples were experiencing hardships, we stood firmly together with one another and lent a helping hand, vividly interpreting that A friend in need is a friend indeed. When the Ebola epidemic broke out in Sierra Leone in 2014, China was the first country to send medical team and anti-epidemic materials here. When the COVID-19 epidemic broke out in China in 2020, the Sierra Leonean Parliament passed a special act to express support for China’s fight against the epidemic.
In addition to these unchanging contents, we also see that the essence and content of China-Sierra Leone Relations are also moving with the times and making new progress.
First, the strategic significance of China-Sierra Leone relations has been continuously enriched. In recent years, China-Sierra Leone relations have increasingly transcended the bilateral scope, and their strategic significance has become more prominent. In December 2016, China and Sierra Leone established comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, entering the bilateral cooperation into the fast lane. In February 2024, during President Julius Maada Bio’s state visit to China, the two sides released the “China-Sierra Leone Joint Statement on Deepening Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership”, pushing bilateral relations to a higher level. We keep close coordination on international affairs and global governance, defend the international system with the United Nations at its core and true multilateralism. China supports Sierra Leone’s candidacy and performance of its duties as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and supports Sierra Leone to play active role as the C10 presidency to correct the historical injustice of Africa.
Second, the exchanges at all levels and fields between China and Sierra Leone have been increasingly closer. In February 2024, H.E. President Bio paid a state visit to China, and in September he visited China again to attend the FOCAC Beijing Summit, making him the first Sierra Leone leader to visit China twice a year. The two countries have also continued to deepen exchanges between local governments, government departments, and military personnel. Last year, three Chinese delegations from Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Hunan Provinces visited Sierra Leone, and more than 10 cabinet members of the Sierra Leone visited China. The Chinese Embassy issued more than 6,000 visas to Sierra Leonean people in 2024, which is a record high and shows that the exchanges between the two countries are becoming more frequent.
Third, the practical cooperation between China and Sierra Leone has been more comprehensive, more productive and more sustainable. Our practical cooperation focused on China-aided infrastructure building in early time. The Youyi Building and the National Stadium have became signature projects of China-Sierra Leone friendship. While continuing to do infrastructure such as Foreign Service Academy, Wilberforce Barracks in recent years, we put more resources on technical assistance, education and human capital development, digital economy such as the National Optical Fiber Backbone, Agricultural Technical Assistance, Vocational Training etc., aiming to empower Sierra Leone to tap its own potential for sustainable development. At the same time, our trade and investment ties have got significantly boosted. In 2023, the trade volume reached 1.65 billion US dollars compared to only about 1 million US dollars in 1971. China has been Sierra Leone’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. China is also the largest source of foreign investment in Sierra Leone. The Toncolili Iron Ore project, the Wellington-Masiaka Toll Road and some other public-private partnership projects invested by Chinese companies are examples of mutual benefit cooperation and help make our cooperation more sustainable.
Fourth, the public foundation of China-Sierra Leone friendship are becoming more solid. The Confucius Institute at the University of Sierra Leone is the first Confucius Institute in West Africa. Sierra Leone is the only country in the world where China has sent three medical teams. Since 1976, more than 1,200 Sierra Leonean students has studied in China with full scholarship and more than 5,000 people have gone to China for short-term training or seminars. Now, when we walk in the streets, we often hear Sierra Leonean people greeting us warmly in Chinese “Ni Hao”. Chinese martial arts and acrobatics have become one of the most popular cultural performances in Sierra Leone. Chinese traditional music and pop songs can also be heard in major radio and television programs in Sierra Leone.
Today China-Sierra Leone relations have been running at a high standard and at its best. President Xi Jinping describe it as the good example of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation. 2024 is a big year for our relations. During the two visits by H.E. President Bio, our two heads of states reached broad and important consensus, which opened a new era for consolidating bilateral relations, promoting the diversified development of cooperation, and injecting new impetus into deepening our Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
2025 is the opening year and a crucial year for us to implement the important consensus of the two heads of state and outcomes of FOCAC Beijing Summit. Standing at a new historical starting point, China is ready to work together with Sierra Leone to carry forward the original aspiration, build on past achievements and open up new prospects for the relations.
I firmly believe that under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, the strong collaboration of the two governments, parliaments, parties and the enthusiastic participation of the two peoples, China-Sierra Leone relations will surely deliver a brighter future for the next 50 years. May the great friendship between our two countries last forever!
