Envoy Zhang also said China will focus on bilateral cooperation in health, education, infrastructure, agriculture and other fields.

He said the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit has turned a new page in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, especially in the post-Ebola era.

“Considering the urgent need of Liberia, China will speed up the aid projects, especially the renovation of the Samuel Doe Sports Stadium, construction of the Monrovia Vocational Training Center, Ministerial Complex, Annexes to the Capitol Building and the diplomatic lounge at the Roberts International Airport,”
He noted.

The Chinese Ambassador assured that China will help Liberia break the bottlenecks in development which, he said, include insufficient infrastructure and human resources.

He pledged to encourage and support Chinese enterprises participate in the development of infrastructure in various ways, including the promotion of capacity-building opportunities, especially for Liberians to study in China.

According to a presidential press statement, Ambassador Zhang also promised to enhance cooperation in the manufacturing sector so that Liberia can make the best use of and add value to its resources and improve its sustainable self-development capacity.

Ambassador Zhang , who has served as Chinese Envoy in Liberia for the past one and half years, said he is deeply impressed by the firm commitment of both governments to push forward the practical cooperation and the strong wish of the two peoples to tighten their friendship.

He said although Sino-Liberia relations have suffered twists and turns in the past, the two countries have never given up the faith that they should sail in the same boat and share the good and bad times.

Celebrating the 66th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC this year, Zhang said China has achieved remarkable development with a historic leap in comprehensive national strength and a big upgrade of people’s living standards.

China is the second largest economy in the world with the largest rade volume and foreign exchange reserves.

It is also the third largest overseas investment, and the largest trading partner of 130 countries.

Last year China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) surpassed US$10 trillion. The GDP per capita has risen from less than US$100 in the early days of the PRC to nearly US$7,500 today.
LINA PR/TSS/PTK