October 1, 2018
By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
The Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Wu Peng, has stated that China-Sierra Leone friendship was developing at increasingly faster pace for the fact that both countries share common historical experience, development tasks and political aspiration.
“Together with China’s rapid development, China-Africa and China-Sierra Leone friendship are developing at increasingly fast pace. The fact that we share common historical experience, development tasks and political aspiration, we are uniting together, forging ahead hand in hand and working to build a community with a share future,” he said.
Ambassador WU Peng was last week Friday speaking while addressing a well-attended dinner organised by the Chinese Embassy in observance of sixty nine 69 years of the founding China.
He said since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, 69 years ago, the Chinese people have gone through all kinds of obstacles and difficulties to build their motherland from poor and weak into prosperous and strong one.
He said in the course of national rejuvenation, the Chinese people have witness the historic leap of their country from gaining independence, getting rich to coming into a majority power.
He said they marked 40th anniversary of reform and opening up in China this year, adding that the Chinese government has introduced a host of major steps to deepen reform, expand opening up and advance innovation, aiming to promote both china’s own development and global growth.
He said in the first half of this year, China’s economy expanded by 6.8%, staying within the medium-high growth range of 6.7-6.9% for 12 quarter in a row.
He added that on the whole, the Chinese economy has stayed on the track of steady progress with growing new drivers and sound fundamentals.
Ambassador Wu Peng continue that this year was significant in the development of China-Africa relations, adding that earlier last month, the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was held in China.
He further that the Chinese President Xi Jinping and representatives of 54 African countries closely communicated and collaborated in a harmonious atmosphere and brought the summit to a complete success.
He said the two important outcomes, ‘the Beijing Declaration-Toward an Even Stronger China-Africa community with a shared future and the FOCAC Beijing, were adopted at the summit, adding that new measures to deepen China-Africa Cooperation across the board were launched, featuring eight major initiatives.
He disclosed that during the summit, President Julius Maada Bio paid a state visit to China and met with President Xi Jimping and Premier Li Keqiang respectively, and exchanged experience in governance and sketched an overall blueprint for cooperation between China and Sierra Leone in the future years.
The Chinese diplomat quoted President Xi Jimping that ‘China cherishes the traditional friendship with Sierra Leone and noted that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 47 years ago, the two countries have always been good partners and stood together through thick and thin.’
He said President Jinping also announced that China would expand cooperation with Sierra Leone in infrastructure, agriculture, fisheries, healthcare, education and security, capacity building and continue to support each other in the multilateral arena.
He said President Bio’s state visit to China during the FOCAC Summit marked China-Sierra Leone to strategically align President Bio’s New Direction agenda with China’s development plan, and deepen cooperation with FOCAC and the belt road initiative so as to inject new impetus into the development of the two countries and bring tangible benefits to both nations.
Also speaking, Minister of Primary, Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Alpha Timbo, expressed delight to have been part of celebration, noting that it was important to reflect on how China has proven as a remarkable link to the world with a glorious culture, tradition, education and technology.
He noted that the China-Sierra Leone friendship was developing in an increasingly faster pace for the fact that both countries shared common historic experiences, developmental and political demands, and uniting people together, forging ahead hand in hand and working to building shared vision.
He said the diplomatic tie with China has come a long way since 29th July 1971 and President Julius Maada Bio has indicated with firm commitment to maintain it.