Sierra Leone Joins China in Marking 77 Years of the People's Republic and 105 Years of the Communist Party

Sierra Leone and the People's Republic of China stood together on Wednesday to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic. This occasion celebrated not one nation's journey but two nations' friendship, now flourishing across five and a half decades of mutual respect, equality and trust.

The reception, hosted in Freetown by China's Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Zhao Yong, drew ministers, Members of Parliament, the diplomatic corps and members of the Chinese community. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Jeneba J. Bangura delivered the toast on behalf of the Government and people of Sierra Leone. At the same time, both envoys looked forward as much as back.

Ambassador Zhao said China's progress since 1949 had delivered two enduring achievements: rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. He described China as the world's second-largest economy, with rising financial strength and substantially improved household incomes, and said the 1.4 billion Chinese people were advancing "with full confidence" toward building a modern socialist country.

The 15th Five-Year Plan, he noted, had opened against complex and volatile global conditions, yet China's economy continued to show a resilience that patience and planning had made possible.

The ambassador highlighted a policy he said had broken new ground: from 1 May this year, China applied zero tariffs to imports from the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, becoming the first major economy to grant Africa unilateral, full-coverage duty-free treatment.

"We deeply appreciate that Sierra Leone supports all these initiatives," he said, referring to the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping between 2021 and 2025.

Madam Bangura opened her toast with warm congratulations to the Government and people of China on the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China.

Mr Zhao, for his part, said Beijing and Freetown had supported and respected each other throughout their diplomatic relationship, thanking Sierra Leone for upholding the One China principle. Cooperation in politics, trade, health, education and culture, he added, had become "a good example of China–Africa solidarity and cooperation."

The figures tell the same story. China has been Sierra Leone's largest trading partner and a leading source of foreign investment for more than ten years, and bilateral trade rose 38 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026, growth the ambassador attributed to the zero-tariff policy. Chinese medical teams have delivered more than one million medical services to Sierra Leoneans. This year, 130 Sierra Leonean students won Chinese government scholarships and more than 530 others travelled to China for short-term training. Last year set record numbers of Sierra Leonean visitors to China, he said, and this year would set another.

The Ambassador said China stood ready to work with Sierra Leone on implementing agreements reached by the two heads of state, to release the full benefits of the zero-tariff policy, and to add fresh momentum to the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

Madam Bangura said China's transformation, from eradicating extreme poverty at unprecedented scale to becoming a global hub for manufacturing, trade, infrastructure, technology and innovation, carried lessons far beyond its borders. Investment in science, digital technology, connectivity, renewable energy, agriculture and human capital, she argued, showed the value of long-term planning and sustained investment in people.

"For Sierra Leone and many other developing countries, China's experience provides important opportunities for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and South-South Cooperation," she said.

She cited the Belt and Road Initiative as a key framework for infrastructure connectivity, trade and investment, and recalled the cooperation documents signed during President Julius Maada Bio's 2024 State Visit to China covering the initiative, economic development and the Global Development Initiative.

"For Sierra Leone, connectivity is not merely about roads, ports, bridges and physical infrastructure," she said. "It is also about connecting our people to markets, knowledge, technology, skills and opportunities."

The Deputy Minister acknowledged the role of Chinese enterprises and investors, particularly in mining and infrastructure, and said Sierra Leone welcomed responsible investment that creates jobs, builds local capacity and supports communities.

"We encourage greater investment not only in extractive industries but also in agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, renewable energy, technology, tourism and other sectors capable of generating employment and adding value to Sierra Leone's resources," she said.

She stressed that the partnership extended beyond governments and institutions. "It is also a relationship between peoples," she said, pointing to decades of scholarships, professional training and academic exchanges that had produced "an important human bridge" between the two countries. Cultural exchanges and long-standing medical cooperation, she added, had deepened that mutual understanding.

Madam Bangura said the bilateral relationship carried weight at the United Nations, where Sierra Leone served as an elected Security Council member for 2024–2025. She thanked China for its support during that tenure, including during Sierra Leone's presidencies of the Council in August 2024 and November 2025.

Freetown, she added, looks forward to continued coordination with Beijing on peace and security, sustainable development, climate change and reform of global governance institutions.

Turning to the future, Madam Bangura said the partnership's next phase must be defined by greater economic opportunity, deeper investment, stronger trade, expanded educational exchanges, technological cooperation and closer people-to-people relations.

"Sierra Leone is committed to working with China to translate our political understanding into practical outcomes that improve the lives of our citizens," she said, adding that the two countries had already shown that geographical distance need not be a barrier to friendship, cooperation and solidarity.

"What has sustained our relationship is mutual respect, equality, trust, sovereign equality and a shared commitment to development," she said. "May the friendship between Sierra Leone and China continue to grow from strength to strength."