China, Sierra Leone vow to further enhance friendly ties

• Source: Xinhua
• [13:12 May 26 2009]
• Comments

Hu also vowed to promote the accomplishment of existing bilateral projects as scheduled, offer aid to Sierra Leone's education, culture, public health programs, and enhance coordination with it on major issues including peacekeeping, poverty reduction and fighting against global challenges.

Koroma said his country welcomed increased investment from China to aid his country's economy, vowing to create sound environment and conditions.

"Sierra Leone highly values relations with China, and is ready to cement all-round cooperation with the country and learn from its development experience," he said.

Koroma called on enhanced bilateral cooperation on international and regional issues, in particular African issues, to further push forward Sierra Leone-China and Africa-China ties.

The two presidents attended a signing ceremony for three cooperative agreements including one on China's providing anti-malaria medicines to Sierra Leone.

The West African country, once British colony, gained independence in 1961 and founded the Republic of Sierra Leone. With a population of over 6.1 million and an area of some 71,740 square kilometers, the country is the lowest ranked country on the Human Development Index and seventh lowest on the Human Poverty Index, following years of civil wars.

China forged diplomatic ties with Sierra Leone on July 29, 1971. Between that date and this March, China had invested 33.9 million U.S. dollars in the country and helped build more than 30 projects including hydropower stations, a national stadium, hospitals and government buildings.

Sierra Leone rolled out its first CDMA network in the country last month with help from Chinese equipment vendor Huawei Technologies. Sierratel, the country's government-owned telecommunication company, received a delivery of 16.6 million U.S. dollars worth of wireless telecommunication equipment from Huawei, funded by the Chinese government's preferential loan.

Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone Qiu Shaofang said China would build two hydropower dams in Sierra Leone in the next three years.

"China has offered long-term economic aid to Sierra Leone and has promised not to reduce assistance in spite of the global slump," said Qiu.

Bilateral trade topped 83.71 million U.S. dollars last year, up 30.4 percent year on year. With the global downturn, total bilateral trade in the first four months of the year was down 40 percent to 12 million U.S. dollars.

China mainly exports machinery and electrical products, textiles and chemical products to Sierra Leone, while imports logs, natural rubber and coco beans.

Koroma's ongoing China trip will also take him to central China's Hunan Province and the country's financial hub Shanghai.