Paynesville, Liberia – China has pledged deeper economic, diplomatic and people-to-people engagement with Liberia as it prepares to launch its 15th Five-Year Plan, marking 70 years of China-Africa relations and a new phase in its strategic partnership with Monrovia.
The Chinese ambassador spoke on what he called a “extraordinary” 2025 for China and a year of growing cooperation with Liberia while speaking at a Chinese New Year reception in Monrovia ahead of the Year of the Horse.
He emphasized China’s 5% economic growth in 2025, when its GDP for the first time surpassed RMB 140 trillion yuan, as well as advancements in research, technology, environmental protection, and defense. China also celebrated the 80th anniversary of its victories in the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression that year, which the Ambassador said strengthened the country’s unity and dedication to peaceful development.
Regarding foreign policy, he cited President Xi Jinping’s efforts to promote a more just global order through what Beijing refers to as Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics, which includes the Global Development, Security, Civilization, and Governance Initiatives.
Under the direction of Presidents Xi and Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the China-Liberia strategic alliance has “been thriving,” the envoy added. Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, House Speaker Richard Koon, and Vice President Jeremiah Koung all visited China, among other high-level interactions he mentioned.
China completely implemented zero-tariff treatment for all of Liberia’s exports to China, he said, and supported Liberia’s successful bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. China Customs statistics indicates that Liberia’s exports to China reached US$131 million in 2025, a 23.9 percent increase.
The Bamboo and Rattan Project, a National Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Laboratory at the 14th Military Hospital, and the building of two overpass bridges on Tubman Boulevard are just a few of the significant health and infrastructural initiatives that are progressing. The project for the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) is finished and ready for handover.
The ambassador reiterated Beijing’s willingness to integrate its 15th Five-Year Plan with Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for inclusive growth and commended Liberia for its ongoing commitment to the one-China concept, calling it “highly appreciated.”
In the future, 2026 has been named the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and will commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Africa. The effort, which was started after the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2024 Beijing Summit, would include some 600 activities throughout the continent.
Referencing Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent visit to the continent as a show of ongoing unity, the Ambassador said, “Africa has been the first overseas destination of China’s foreign minister at the start of the New Year for 36 consecutive years.”
Stronger cultural and social ties will give bilateral and continental collaborations enduring impetus, he said, given that China and Africa are home to almost 2.8 billion people. In a symbolic gesture to Beijing’s expanding digital and public diplomacy presence in Liberia, the reception also marked the Chinese Embassy in Monrovia achieving 10,000 Facebook followers. Ten chosen followers were invited to attend.
The Ambassador gave the assurance that the Embassy will continue to protect the rights and interests of Chinese people in Liberia as the Spring Festival got underway, while also urging them to abide by local laws and support the country’s progress. He said, “A new year comes with new visions and hopes,” indicating Beijing’s intention to expand its influence in Liberia and throughout Africa in the upcoming year.
