Monrovia — Newly Chinese Ambassador to Liberia H.E. YIN Chengwu is urging the Joseph Boakai’s administration to tap into the China-Africa Cooperation to achieve its development goals, the “ARREST” Policy Agenda.
China-Africa Cooperation is a platform that China has launched. Series of policies has been implemented on China-Africa Cooperation which vigorously raising the level of practical cooperation with African countries.
The event was graced by Vice Prsident Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, Senate Chair on Foreign Affairs Darius Dillon and other senior government officials.
On September 26, 2023, the then Chinese Ambassador-designate to Liberia arrived in Liberia and was greeted at the Roberts International Airport by Mr. Lawrence Felix Amajie, Deputy Chief of Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia, and other relevant officials, representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, and representatives of the Chinese enterprises and overseas Chinese in Liberia.
Making remarks at a program making the Chinese Lunar New Year and his Assumption of Duty as Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Ambassador Chengwu said China’s sincere and friendly policies towards Africa and Liberia is a good one. He stressed that sincerity, real results, amity and good faith are some of the African policy that China is adhering to.
According to Ambassador Chengwu, during the 2024 China-Africa Leaders Dialogue co-chaired by President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa of South Africa, President Xi Jinping puts forward three new initiatives for cooperation programs with Africa.
Ambassador Chengwu named: “the Initiative on Supporting Africa’s Industrialization, the Plan for China Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization, and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development, injecting new momentum into Africa’s integration and modernization.”
He furthered that at the third Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum held in Beijing, President Xi Jinping announced China’s eight major steps to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which have defined a new direction and provided a new impetus for the joint construction of the Belt and Road.
Ambassador Chengwu added: “Liberia is an important participant in and contributor to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative and other cooperation mechanisms, and will take full advantage of the development opportunities provided by China to realize its development goals.”
According to Ambassador Chengwu, the new opportunities that China’s development brings to the world is expanding its high-level opening-up to the outside world and promoting high-quality economic and social development.
In 2023, China’s economy continued to rebound, with a GDP growth of 5.2%, contributing 32% to global economic growth and remaining the biggest driving force for global economic growth, the Ambassador says.
“China has become a major trading partner of more than 140 countries and regions, and has established the world’s most complete industrial system, and leads the world in technology fields such as high-speed railways, 5G, and new energy vehicles. The scale of China’s manufacturing industry has ranked No.1 in the world for 13 consecutive years, with the value added of manufacturing accounting for 30% of the world,” Ambassador Chengwu said.
He added: “China’s development will bring more new opportunities to the world. In the future, China and Liberia have huge potential and prospects in strengthening the docking of development strategies, promoting the sharing of development opportunities, and working together to achieve national modernization.”
Last year after counting of the votes and President Boakai was announced winner by the National Election Commission of the Run-off Presidential Election, several head of states congratulated President Boakai. One of them was Chinese President Jinping. Also, a special envoy was sent by President Jinping to attend the inauguration ceremony on January 22, 2024.
Still speaking, Ambassador Chengwu restates President Jinping admiration for what he termed a great effort from President Boakai’s in promoting consensus on adherence to the one-China principle among all sectors in Liberia.
“The strategic leadership of the two heads of state is the fundamental force that ensures a stable China-Liberia relations and has charted the course for the healthy development of China-Liberia relations,” Ambassador Chengwu said.
He continues: “My confidence stems from the practical foundation of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. President Boakai’s “ARREST” policy agenda calls for execution of various projects, vigorously promoting agriculture, expanding and improving the road network, revitalizing the education system, improving health conditions to uplift people’s livelihood. And the agenda is highly in line with President Xi Jinping’s “people-centered” development ideology.”
According to Ambassador Chengwu, despites China and Liberia are far apart, the two countries share the same future and have the same expectations for the “international order”.
“We are obliged to support each other, work in solidarity, and contribute wisdom and strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind,” he said.
