Monrovia, Liberia – Several Liberian students who received scholarships from the Chinese government, notably the China-Liberia bilateral scholarship, said that they are prepared to help rebuild Liberia after successfully completing their graduation over the weekend.
The People’s Republic of China and the Liberian government pledged to strengthen their friendship, collaboration, and exchanges in the fields of public welfare, health, and poverty alleviation at the graduation of Liberians.
In a separate interview, Dr. Ibrahim Al-barkri Nyei, Liberia’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for International Cooperation and Economics Integration, and Du Xiaohui, Director General of China-Africa Cooperation at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both expressed gratitude for the strategic diplomatic cooperation between China and Africa and expressed interest in future collaboration.
A number of Liberian students who had been awarded scholarships by the Chinese government and the China-Liberia bilateral program graduated from the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) and other Chinese public institutions over the weekend.
Jevon K. Kawala received a Ph.D. in International Relations at UIBE, while Nathan S. Harris received a Ph.D. in Finance with a focus on Asset Allocation. Additionally, Daniel Gman and Ansumana Dukuly, who received separate Chinese government scholarships, both earned Master’s degrees in Economics with a focus on International Finance and Investment, while Chelreo P. Saye-Geh, who was awarded the China-Liberia bilateral scholarship, graduated with a Master’s in International Relations.
Speaking on behalf of the students receiving bilateral scholarships between China and Liberia, Chelreo P. Saye-Geh thanked the People’s Republic of China for its support and solidarity with Liberia, particularly in the field of education.
According to the young Liberian diplomat, the relationship between China and Liberia is strategic and productive, and the Chinese educational system is strong, research-intensive, and developmentally based.
“We are prepared to help Liberia develop as a nation. We would like to express our gratitude to the Chinese people and government for the gesture throughout the years. The relationship between China and Liberia is strong and positive,” Saye-Geh said.
He stated that he enjoyed the Chinese culture, particularly the cuisine, language, and friendliness of the people there. He also noted that although being away from his family for two years is difficult, it was successful since the Chinese government supported him and the other students at all times.
“In terms of student cooperation and many other areas, the Liberian Embassy in Beijing, China, has been doing well. We’re ready to come back home and help build our country,” he declared.
China and Africa have a long-standing connection that has been becoming stronger over time, according to Du Xiaohui, the Director General of China-Africa Cooperation at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He asserted that the friendly relationships between the two nations are the cornerstone of the development of China-African relations as well as intergenerational interactions keep this friendship vibrant.
As they commemorate the 70th anniversary of the beginning of diplomatic relations between China and African nations in 2026, he noted that the two countries will host a number of people-to-people exchange activities with the theme Consolidate All-Weather Friendship, Pursue Shared Dream of Modernization in order to put into practice the significant agreement reached by Chinese and African leaders and the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit.
He pointed out that the goal of these initiatives is to build people-to-people relations, amity, and collaboration while fostering exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese and African cultures. This would help to cement popular support for the friendship between China and Africa.
In order to revitalize the joint efforts of China and Africa to advance modernization, he complained “China will act in this process in accordance with the principles of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith that guide its Africa policy in order to tap the potential for further cooperation in various fields and contribute to the building of the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era and pursuing the shared dream of modernization.”
He confirmed that President Xi Jinping, the supreme leader of China, has stated that “The people are the foundation and lifeline of China-Africa relations.”
