Mr. Wang’s visit to Liberia was the second of his tour of the three countries worst affected by Ebola—Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea—and it was the first of such high-profile Chinese official since the visit here by former President Hu Jintao in 2007.

China was the first nation to identify with Liberia at the beginning of what would turn out to be a devastating Ebola outbreak in March 2014. Apart from sending humanitarian (medical) supplies, China set up a modern Ebola treatment unit (ETU) just outside Monrovia, staffed by hundreds of Chinese paramedics. It was in that ETU that the last Ebola survivor—Beatrice Yardolo— walked out alive and joined her family.

Now that Liberia has weathered the storm of Ebola—though less than 42 days since it released the last four Ebola patients from a treatment unit after a surprise resurgence of the disease at the close of June—China has recommitted itself to the not only the post-Ebola recovery of Liberia but also a long-term development goal that is Liberian-driven and Liberian-centered.

“As a matter of fact, Liberia was hit hardest by the Ebola virus but today, as we can see under the strong leadership of President [Ellen Johnson] Sirleaf and with the strong solidarity of the Liberian people you have successfully become the first country to end the Ebola epidemic. I think Liberia—as a country, as a nation— has miraculously stood up from the hospital bed and I believe you have emerged even stronger,” Mr. Wang told a news conference in the foyer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“In our history of bilateral ties we have experienced some setbacks that both sides realize the importance of lasting, stable and sound relationship, and that is entirely in the long-term and mutual interest of the two peoples.

“I discussed with Madam President, Mr. Prime Minister (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and other government ministers the needs Liberia has in economic and social reconstruction. The general direction of such cooperation is first and foremost respect to the path of development chosen by Liberia and we will make sure that such cooperation is in line with the strategic needs of Liberia and national development and we will speedily help the country increase self-independent development capacity and that the benefit will reach out to the entire population,” Mr. Wang added.

 “In our future cooperation we will focus on infrastructure development and human capacity in order to address the two bottleneck issues. We will encourage Chinese businesses to take more active part in resource development in this country and in that process through transfer of high-quality industrial production capacity to Liberia, increase Liberia’s industry capacity and help the country build an industrial structure. Only by doing so can we make sure that country will realize its sustained and long-term development.”

The Chinese chief diplomat might have made those commitments; however, they (commitments) have already begun being fulfilled, and Mr. Wang said it would come with no cost or price to pay.

“In pursuing China-Africa cooperation we will stay committed to the principles put forward by President Xi Xiping—the approach of pursuing interest and upholding justice. We will not attach any political conditions or impose any request on the African people,” he told the news conference, reiterating comments he made at a state dinner in his honor on Saturday .  

His Liberian counterpart, Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan, who also addressed the press conference, disclosed that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf herself had praised Mr. Wang’s visit for being “fruitful and mutually rewarding” and that bilateral discussions between the two governments had been “critical to Liberia and the advancement of Sino-Liberian relations”. Minister Ngafuan added that the President had further commended the visit a s a “new stimulus to the already strong relations to the two countries”, recommitting the Government of Liberia to the One-China Policy.

Minister Ngafuan disclosed that the Chinese government had committed to fund a super coastal highway in Liberia from its China Fund alongside other international partners and increase its annual number of scholarships from 15 to 40.

Prior to the Ebola outbreak, China had embarked upon the construction of a ministerial complex—a compound of modern buildings that would house up to 10 government ministries and agencies in order to reduce rental burden on the Government of Liberia. But like other projects in the country, the construction of the ministerial complex stalled as the disease took a seemingly uncontrollable toll on the population.

Now China recommitted to speed up the construction of the complex and with it an annex to the Capitol Building that houses the Liberian Legislature, Minister Ngafuan said. He added that Mr. Wang had committed to assisting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with US$320,000 for the refurbishment of the diplomatic lounge of the Roberts International Airport, where the Chinese envoy had arrived on Saturday at 5:12 in an official aircraft.

Human resource and human capacity, Minister Ngafuan said, was a key commitment made by Mr. Wang, which would include the training of Liberian healthcare workers to be able to effectively combat Ebola in any possible future recurrence of the deadly disease.

President Sirleaf would visit China very soon to consummate the planned the committed deliverables of the now strengthened Liberia-China relations.