China’s Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has wrapped up a three-day visit to Sierra Leone, reaffirming Beijing’s commitment to deepening its longstanding friendship and cooperation with the country.

During his stay, Liu met with Sierra Leone’s Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, carrying warm greetings from China’s President Xi Jinping to President Julius Maada Bio. He emphasized that China is ready to work closely with Sierra Leone to put into action the agreements made by both presidents last year.

Liu encouraged both nations to take advantage of China’s zero-tariff policy, especially to boost growth in agriculture and fisheries—two sectors that are vital to Sierra Leone’s economy. His visit also marked ten years since China played a major role in helping Sierra Leone and the region respond to the Ebola outbreak. He called for even stronger collaboration in the health sector to continue delivering benefits to both countries.

The Chinese official also highlighted the importance of the two countries supporting each other on the international stage. He urged Sierra Leone and China to work together in advancing global governance efforts and defending fairness and justice for developing nations.

Vice President Jalloh welcomed the delegation warmly and conveyed President Bio’s appreciation. He praised the strong diplomatic ties between the two countries, noting that trust has continued to grow and cooperation has produced meaningful results. He thanked China for its support during the Ebola crisis and reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to the one-China principle.

Jalloh also expressed the country’s determination to strengthen collaboration on the Belt and Road Initiative and to move forward with the ten partnership actions announced at the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

During the visit, Liu and Jalloh took part in several key events, including the commemoration of the Ebola partnership’s 10-year anniversary, the opening of a new Chinese-aided fishing port, and a photo exhibition highlighting agricultural cooperation between the two countries.